WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- A quick start did not hold up for the 10th-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team as it shot a season-low 30.9 percent from the field in a 74-56 loss at No. 18 Cumberlands on Saturday.

The Patriots shot 46.2 percent from the field and forced the Bears into 14 turnovers with just two assists to overcome an early 13-2 deficit. Marquis Yates paced Cumberlands with 18 points and three 3s, while Eddie Tornes chipped in with 17 off the bench.

Darrion Leslie scored 21 of the Bears' season-low 56 points as the only UPIKE player in double figures. Jordan Perry chipped in with eight points and Michael Lewis added six. Lewis also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds as his team was beat on the glass 36-29.

HOW IT WENT DOWN

For a while it looked like the Bears (18-4, 4-3 MSC) may run away with this one as they scored 13 straight points to lead 13-2 after a basket by Michael Lewis four minutes into the action. But the early pace didn't hold up as UPIKE scored just five points over the next seven minutes.

It was an 18-9 UPIKE lead at the 10-minute mark of the half before Cumberlands (17-4, 4-3 MSC) outscored it 16-6 over the next seven minutes to go up 25-24. It was the Patriots' first lead since making a pair of free throws in the first 30 seconds.

Still up by one with 2:15 on the clock, Cumberlands got its first separation of the game with a 4-0 run to lead 32-27. Eddie Tornes closed the half with a pair of free throws to give the Patriots their largest lead yet at 36-29 heading into the locker room.

Cumberlands continued to stretch the gap early in the second half with a 6-2 spurt to take an 11-point lead. UPIKE briefly got within seven after a quick 4-0 run that ended with two freebies by Lewis, but it was back out to a 10-point game four minutes later.

The Patriots gradually added to their lead, outscoring the Bears 10-2 over a four-minute span to reach their largest of 16 points on a bucket by Chance Morton. UPIKE wasn't done getting within single digits though as a dunk from Leslie made it 61-52 under the six-minute mark, then a one-handed slam by Richard Freeman cut it back to nine two minutes later.

But in the end, rebounds, turnovers and missed shots ended up not allowing the Bears to claw any closer as Cumberlands made free throws and added a put back dunk down the stretch to grow its lead to 18 points in the final minute.

Chase Parsley's free throw with 3:31 on the clock was the last point scored for UPIKE.

UP NEXT

Thursday night will be an NAIA top-10 matchup as UPIKE travels to No. 2 Georgetown at 8 p.m. ET.

-UPIKE-