PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The 14th-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team scored nine of the first 11 points in overtime to help get past visiting Cumberland (Tenn.) 83-78 on Thursday night in the East Ky. Expo Center.
UPIKE held Cumberland to just two made field goals over the final eight minutes, turning what was once a 13-point deficit into a three-point lead at 72-69 after an Rze Culbreath 3 with 26 seconds left. That 3 capped off a furious 12-0 run over the final 4:35 of regulation.
But the Phoenix's (11-12, 4-7 MSC) leading scorer Diondrey Holt Jr., who finished with a game-high 26 points, answered with a 3 of his own to send the game to overtime after Jordan Perry's last second shot missed the mark.
On a night when it seemed like getting to overtime was a longshot, UPIKE (22-6, 7-5 MSC) made the most of the extra period. It led by nine with about a minute to go before Cumberland netted the final two baskets off of turnovers.
Darrion Leslie paced the Bears with 24 points, followed by Perry with 17 and Clint Nwosuh and Michael Lewis pitching in with 14 each. Lewis ended up with a double-double after also collecting 10 rebounds, although UPIKE was beat on the glass 35-32 overall. Culbreath dished eight assists with just one turnover, handing out the most dimes of any UPIKE player this season.
Both teams shot 50.8 percent from the field with the only difference being one extra 3-pointer for the Phoenix (8-7). Cumberland's 32 made shots are the most made by a UPIKE opponent this season. Free-throw shooting was rough on both sides as the Bears hit 14 of 21 and the Phoenix were at 6 of 14.
In the end it was defense that won out as UPIKE forced Cumberland into 16 turnovers, turning them into 14 points.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
Apart from a 2-0 lead on Perry's opening layup, UPIKE trailed for the first 10 minutes of the first half. And the lead it did grab didn't last long as after another Perry bucket put the Bears up 18-17, it also triggered a 14-3 Cumberland run that put it in front 31-21 with 4:24 on the clock.
Seven points from Holt Jr., in the final four minutes helped the Phoenix take a 12-point, 40-28 lead into halftime.
UPIKE trimmed its deficit to as few as five points twice in the first seven minutes of the second half, but for the most part Cumberland kept its lead in double digits. With 6:55 on the clock Marquel Hickerson netted two free throws to push the lead to 13, but that was also the point where things turned south for the Phoenix.
Cumberland would make just two more field goals in regulation, including Holt Jr.'s late 3 that sent the game into an extra period, and saved his team from a complete collapse in regulation.
But the overtime period didn't change things with the Phoenix's stagnant offense as it was outscored 9-2 to start the period on its way to a five-point loss.
UP NEXT
UPIKE continues its home stand at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday against Lindsey Wilson.
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