Williamsburg, KY – The #14 Cumberlands women's basketball team had four players in double-figures, while playing stifling defense to earn the 67-59 win over (RV) Cumberland Phoenix, Thursday night on Randy Vernon Court. With the win, UC improves to 16-3 overall and 1-2 in MSC play, while the Phoenix move to 14-4 and 0-2 in conference play.
Lakin Burke led the way for Cumberlands with 17 points and seven rebounds, while
Peyton Mounce chipped in 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers.
Jaydyn Carrico and
Joy Kendrick combined for 21 points, while Kendrick added four rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
The Phoenix jumped out to a 4- 0 lead before
Jaydyn Carrico drove for a layup to put UC on the board.
Zaram Fredricks and Carrico each add a basket as Cumberlands cut the deficit to 7-6 with 6:35 remaining. Cumberland utilize a pair of fast breaks to extend their lead however UC responded with a four-point run of their own to pull within two at 14-12. A minute later
Peyton Mounce drained a three-pointer to even the score at 17-17. The Phoenix closed out the quarter on a 4-2 run to take the 21-19 lead.
UC opened the second quarter Thompson hitting a jumper before
Lakin Burke found Mounce on the wing for a three-pointer giving the Patriots their first lead of the game at 24-23. On the next UC possession,
Noel Smith drained her first collegiate three-pointer as the two team traded baskets until a Mounce layup extends the Pats lead to 31-25 with 5:26 remaining. The Phoenix pulled within two points as UC closed out the half with five straight, including a three-pointer at the buzzer from
Peyton Mounce to make it a 36-29 advantage for Cumberlands.
Both defenses came out strong in the second half as the Phoenix went 7-3 run over the first four minutes of play cutting the lead to 39-36. UC extended their lead as
Aden Clark converted a left-handed layup before Burke notched a putback making it 43-36 midway through the quarter. The Phoenix pulled within four before the Patriots used quick passing to find Carrico for a three-pointer to extend the lead. In the closing seconds of the quarter, Fredricks grabbed an offensive rebound and putback to beat the buzzer and extend their lead to 52-45.
Kendrick netted five of UC's first six points in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 58-49 with 6:23 remaining. A minute later, Clark tallied a steal and on that possession, Kendrick converted a three-point play extended the lead to 61-49. The Patriots went 6-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch for the 67-59 final.
Cumberlands will return to the court next Thursday, January 22
nd, when they host (RV) Georgetown. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
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