PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Cumberland jumping out to a 14-0 lead to start the game ended up being too much for the University of Pikeville women's basketball team to overcome as it fell 57-50 on Thursday.

UPIKE (8-9, 0-2 MSC) was able to cut the deficit to one with 4:26 to play, the closest it had been since trailing 2-0, but the Phoenix (12-5, 1-1 MSC) closed the game outscoring the Bears 12-6 to hold on for the win.

Cumberland's 14-0 spurt to open the game ended up being its largest lead as UPIKE used a 9-2 run to open the second quarter and make it a four-point game. From there, the Bears went on to keep the score within single digits for the final 15 minutes.

Kayla Mullins was the lone double-digit scorer for Pikeville with 14 points while also pulling down nine rebounds and shooting 8 of 11 from the stripe as the rest of the team hit just 8 of 17 free throws. Rachel Lee chipped in with nine points and made one of the Bears' two made 3s on the night (2-16).

Ant'Treasia Patton led Cumberland with 17 points and Kaitlin Oliver and Janisha Lindsey both added 10. The Phoenix finished the game outshooting UPIKE 45.8 to 29.6 percent.

The Phoenix had a miserable night from the stripe, hitting 8 of 21 freebies, but still made three more 3-pointers than the Bears and made six extra field goals overall on six less shots, a byproduct of stingy defense for 40 minutes. A 41-35 edge on the glass helped as well.

Trailing by 12 at the start of the second quarter, the Bears started their trek to a comeback with an 8-0 run to get within four. It was still only a five-point game with 15 seconds left until halftime when trouble struck in the form of a 3-point play by Lindsey, followed by a 3 from past half court at the buzzer by Lindsey again to give Cumberland an 11-point lead at halftime.

An 11-3 run late in the third got UPIKE within two, followed by Lee's layup to start the fourth to pull within a single point. Lee's put back was the first point scored in five minutes, but a quick 4-0 spurt by the Phoenix ended the rally, followed by them making free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

UP NEXT

UPIKE travels to 12th-ranked Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky., at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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