WILLIAMSBURG, KY – The No. 6 Patriots men's basketball team earned a hard-fought home win Thursday night, rallying past Bethel University (Tenn.) 88-83 inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center. Trailing at halftime, Cumberlands used a strong second half and timely plays down the stretch to improve to 18-3 overall and 3-2 in Mid-South Conference play.
 
Kyle Duke led the Patriots with a game-high 24 points, going 14-of-16 from the free-throw line while adding three rebounds and three assists. Javecckio Thomas followed with 12 points, eight rebounds, and four steals, while Andrew McConnell added 10 points and two assists. Malachi Robinson finished with eight points, five rebounds, and five steals, and Brant Smithers chipped in nine points off the bench. Anthony Harris scored nine points, Brady Bell added eight, Tanner Walton finished with six, and Kyler McLendon contributed two as nine Patriots reached the scoring column.
 
Bethel controlled the early minutes, jumping out to an 8-2 lead as Cumberlands struggled to find offensive rhythm. The Patriots began to settle in behind Duke attacking the paint and Harris scoring inside to trim the deficit to 11-7. Midway through the half, Thomas came up with a defensive steal that led to a transition opportunity, and Robinson followed with a strong finish to keep UC within reach. Despite the early hole, Cumberlands stayed composed and continued to chip away as Duke got to the free-throw line to make it a two-possession game.
 
Late in the opening period, UC closed the gap further. Robinson finished inside to pull the Patriots within four, and Harris added another basket in the paint after a defensive stop to make it 29-26. Thomas provided another lift with a steal that led to a Duke score as Cumberlands briefly made it a one-possession game. Bethel answered late, however, and the Patriots went into halftime trailing 40-36 after cutting the deficit multiple times in the final five minutes.
 
Cumberlands came out of the locker room with energy. Robinson opened the second half with a dunk to cut the score to 40-38, and a Brady Bell three moments later made it 44-40 as the Patriots quickly closed the gap. Robinson then came up with another defensive stop, and Duke followed with a finish in the lane to keep UC within one possession as the teams traded baskets through the early portion of the half.
 
With the game tightening late, Smithers delivered a spark off the bench. Smithers knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to pull Cumberlands even, then later stepped up from well beyond the logo and drilled a deep three to give UC a 77-76 lead, igniting the Rollins Center. After another defensive stop, Duke attacked the paint and converted at the free-throw line to extend the advantage to 79-76. Thomas sealed the win with a late steal and free throws as the Patriots closed out the 88-83 victory at home.
 
Cumberlands shot 44.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three while going 23-of-31 at the free-throw line. The Patriots forced 18 turnovers, scored 15 points off those miscues, and held a 30-20 rebounding advantage to secure the conference win.
 
Cumberlands (18-3, 3-2 MSC) will return to action Saturday, January 31, when they host No. 2 Freed-Hardeman University at 3 PM inside the O. Wayne Rollins Center.
 
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