MCKENZIE, TN – The third ranked Patriots men's basketball team opened Mid-South Conference play Thursday night with an 80-69 loss at Bethel University (Tenn.) inside Crisp Arena. Cumberlands battled throughout the contest but was unable to overcome shooting struggles, as the Patriots posted their lowest field-goal and three-point percentages of the season in the setback.
 
Andrew McConnell paced the Patriots with 17 points, while Kyle Duke followed with 15 points and five rebounds. Malachi Robinson had a strong effort inside for UC, scoring a career-high 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting while adding four rebounds.  Brant Smithers added nine points off the bench, Brady Bell finished with six, and Javecckio Thomas chipped in three. Abraham Ibezimakor, Kyler McLendon, and Anthony Harris rounded out the scoring as nine Patriots found the basket.
 
The opening half saw Cumberlands battle through an early shooting slump as Bethel built an early lead. The Patriots got on the board at the 16:54 mark when Malachi Robinson split a pair at the free-throw line before Kyle Duke knocked down a three from the wing to cut the deficit to 9-6. Robinson followed with a dunk in the paint off a Javecckio Thomas assist, and Andrew McConnell added a jumper to keep UC within striking distance midway through the half.
 
Late in the period, Cumberlands began to find momentum. Brant Smithers connected on a three at the two-minute mark to pull the Patriots within two, before McConnell finished at the rim to make it a one-possession game. Robinson added a layup in traffic, and Smithers buried another three in the final minute to help UC close the gap. Despite Bethel scoring in the final seconds, the Patriots went into halftime trailing just 34-31.
 
Cumberlands briefly grabbed the lead early in the second half as Robinson scored inside and McConnell converted at the free-throw line. The Patriots stayed aggressive in the paint, with Robinson continuing to finish through contact and Duke attacking the rim to keep the game close. At the 11:28 mark, Smithers finished in the lane and completed a three-point play to give UC its largest lead of the game.
 
Bethel responded with timely baskets and free throws, but the Patriots remained within one possession for much of the half. Duke scored inside to make it a two-point game with under seven minutes to play, and McConnell followed with a layup to cut the deficit again. However, UC was unable to convert from beyond the arc in the second half, and Bethel capitalized at the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the 80-69 result.
 
Cumberlands finished the night shooting 34.4 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from three, both season lows. The Patriots went 21-of-30 at the free-throw line and held a 32-25 rebounding edge, but could not overcome the second-half offensive drought.
 
UC (15-2, 0-1 MSC) will look to bounce back Saturday afternoon when they travel to No. 2 Freed-Hardeman University for a top-three NAIA matchup. Tip-off is set for 4 PM ET / 3 PM CT.
 
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