WILLIAMSBURG, KY – The No. 3 Patriots men's basketball team closed out 2025 with a season-high offensive outburst, rolling past Milligan University 120-58 Tuesday afternoon inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center. Cumberlands put up 120 points — the most this year — and every Patriot who saw the floor scored as UC improved to 14-1 on the season.
Andrew McConnell paced the Pats with 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting, drilling four treys and adding five rebounds.
Kyle Duke finished with 17 points and five assists,
Kyler McLendon poured in 14 off the bench (4-of-7, 3-of-5 from three), and
Ikemba Otuonye scored 12 while grabbing nine boards.
Brant Smithers reached double figures with 10 points,
Anthony Harris chipped in nine,
Javecckio Thomas added eight and swatted a pair of shots,
Tanner Walton finished with seven on 3-of-3 shooting,
Jalan Johnson had six,
Shaw Daves added six, and
Malachi Robinson scored six.
Cumberlands wasted no time setting the tone in the opening half. Duke opened the scoring with a pair of free throws before Thomas finished inside off a McConnell assist to make it 4-2. McConnell then caught fire from deep, drilling a three to push the lead to 11-6, followed by another triple moments later. Defensive energy fueled the early run, as Thomas recorded a block that led to transition offense, and Robinson followed with a fast-break dunk to stretch the margin to double figures.
Midway through the half, the Patriots continued to pour it on. Duke knocked down a three from the wing, Harris finished a dunk in traffic, and McLendon came off the bench to hit a pair of threes as UC pushed the lead past 20. Otuonye converted at the line, Walton scored inside on an offensive rebound, and Smithers knocked down a jumper in the paint as the Patriots closed the half on a dominant run. By the break, Cumberlands had built a commanding 58-27 advantage.
The Patriots showed no signs of slowing down after halftime. Duke opened the second half with a layup before McConnell added three straight free throws to extend the lead to 63-29. Otuonye went to work inside with multiple finishes in the paint, and Robinson added another dunk following a defensive stop to push the lead past 40. Harris scored on consecutive possessions, while Smithers knocked down a three as the margin continued to grow.
With under 10 minutes to play, the entire Patriot roster stayed involved. Walton scored inside off an assist from Otuonye, McLendon hit another three, and Johnson scored his first basket of the game on a fast-break layup. Daves followed with a pair of threes, and Otuonye continued to score inside as UC crossed the century mark. A late layup from Otuonye capped the scoring as Cumberlands closed out the 120-58 victory.
Cumberlands shot 63.9 percent from the field (46-of-72), hit 13-of-29 from three (44.8%), and went 15-of-19 at the foul line (78.9%). UC dominated the glass 40-17, turned Milligan miscues into 22 points off turnovers, and got 64 bench points in one of its most complete efforts of the season. They set a new season high in points and assists with 24.
Cumberlands (14-1) will return to action Saturday, January 3, when the Patriots host Dalton State at 3 PM inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center.
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