Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots men's basketball team opened the Cumberlands Classic in dominant fashion Thursday morning, rolling past WVU Tech 102-75 inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center. With the win, Cumberlands moves to 4-0 on the season, scoring 100-plus points for the second time this year behind another strong team performance that saw six players score in double figures.
 
Kyle Duke led the way with a team-high 20 points, including four threes and six rebounds. Javecckio Thomas was also a force for the Patriots, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, and two steals while shooting 6-10 from the field and 2-3 from three. His energy fueled UC's offense throughout the game, providing multiple second-chance buckets and defensive stops that swung momentum early. Ikemba Otuonye was nearly flawless off the bench with 16 points on 6-7 shooting, while Anthony Harris added 14 points and seven boards. Brant Smithers contributed nine points and three rebounds, and Andrew McConnell and Brady Bell tallied eight apiece.
 
After WVU Tech scored the game's first five points, McConnell got UC on the board with a three before Bell followed with another triple from the corner. Duke's first three gave the Patriots their first lead at 9-7, and from there UC began to take control.
 
Thomas sparked a run midway through the first half with a strong drive and a deep three, then set up Smithers for a triple to extend the lead to 26-18. Moments later, Thomas threw down a fast-break alley-oop off a steal from McConnell, igniting the crowd.
 
Harris added a tip-in and Bell converted an and-one jumper to keep the Patriots rolling. In the closing minutes of the half, Robinson came up with a block that led to a transition layup from McConnell, and a Malachi Robinson steal set up another Thomas dunk to send UC into halftime up 49-32.
 
The Patriots continued their momentum in the second half as Duke opened with a three before McConnell hit a fast-break layup and free throw to push the margin to 25. Thomas and Bell each added layups in transition, while Otuonye dominated the paint with a series of post finishes and a three-point play. Harris scored eight of his 14 points in the final 10 minutes, throwing down a pair of crowd-pleasing dunks off assists from Tanner Walton and Kyler McLendon as UC's lead grew past 30. Otuonye capped off his perfect morning with a corner three and an and-one late to help Cumberlands surpass the 100-point mark for the second time this season.
 
UC put together another complete team performance, shooting 52 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line. The Patriots outrebounded WVU Tech 40-28, including 10 offensive boards that led to 13 second-chance points, and outscored the Golden Bears 50-42 in the paint. Defensively, UC forced 12 turnovers, recorded 11 steals, and blocked eight shots in one of their most complete efforts of the season.
 
Cumberlands (4-0) will be back on the court Friday evening at 5 PM as they close out the Cumberlands Classic against Indiana University Southeast inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center.
 
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