GAME FACTS
Date: Thursday, Jan. 11
Time: 6 p.m. ET (women), 8 p.m. ET (men)
Site: East Ky. Expo Center/Paul E. Patton Court (7,000), Pikeville, Ky.
TV: WPRG TV-5
Streaming: Pike TV
Radio: Z1075 FM (men), Rick Bentley (play-by-play) and Joe Kinzer (analyst); WIFX 94.3 FM, Charlie Pinson (play-by-play)
Live Stats: DakStats
Next UPIKE Games: Saturday, Jan. 13 at Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky., 2 p.m. ET (women), 4 p.m. ET (men)
PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Thursday night the East Ky. Expo Center will be the place to be as the University of Pikeville men's and women's basketball teams host Cumberland (Tenn.) in Mid-South Conference play.
This is the 15th meeting on the men's side since the 2000-01 season with UPIKE holding a 12-2 record. Since the Phoenix rejoined the MSC in 2012-13, the Bears have won 11 straight in the series. Last season, UPIKE topped Cumberland three times, winning both regular-season games before also winning 82-62 in the first round of the MSC Tournament. Jordan Perry led UPIKE in that win with a game-high 20 points.
With head coach Lonnie Thompson taking a leave of absence, the Phoenix will try to win for him with defense. So far, they rank 33rd nationally in scoring defense, allowing 73.7 points per game. That includes limiting teams to just 31 percent shooting from 3, a mark that ranks 17th. Cumberland is also a formidable bunch on the offensive glass, ranking 18th in the NAIA with nearly 13 boards per game.
Juandrico Walker is a big part of the Phoenix's attack, grabbing 3.6 offensive boards a game and blocking nearly two shots a game. Both of those marks rank in the top 15 of the country. Senior Diondre Holt Jr., is the team's offensive catalyst, scoring over 16 points per game.
On the women's side, this is the 18th meeting between UPIKE and Cumberland with the Bears holding a 9-8 advantage since 1998. UPIKE has won seven of the last nine games, including wins in both regular-season contests last year. In the most recent outing, the Bears won 72-65 at home in the Expo Center behind 12 points from Brianna Burbridge and 10 from Elisabeth Latham.
Cumberland, as usual, has played one of the tougher schedules in the nation, at one point playing the third, fourth and 25th ranked teams back-to-back-to-back. The Phoenix spent the first two polls of the season ranked before falling into the receiving votes category in the latest edition despite winning seven of its last eight games. Cumberland most recently lost by 16 at No. 12 Lindsey Wilson on Saturday.
The Phoenix rely heavily on their defense to win, ranking eighth in the NAIA in points allowed at 54.2 a game. Offensively, things are not as good, ranking 78th in scoring at 61.3 points per game and 59th in field goal percentage at 39.2.
Forward Kyra Tucker is the only player averaging double figures at 11.3 ppg, while 5-10 Kaitlin Oliver leads Cumberland on the glass with 6.3 boards per contest.
-UPIKE-
