Lebanon, TN – In what was the toughest test of the season to date, UPIKE men's basketball fell to MSC foe Cumberland 90-86 in a double-overtime thriller on Saturday.
The box score featured four Bears posting double-digit scoring efforts, piloted by Jordan Perry with 24 points. Malcom Green notched a season-high 17 points going 54% from the field, adding five from the charity stripe. Taevon Horton put up 15 points and seven rebounds while Jacob Brown recorded a double-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds.
UPIKE shot 43% from the field on 28 of 65 while Cumberland shot a slightly better 45% on 27 of 59. The Bears connected on seven shots from deep and managed a season-high 82 percent from the free throw line, going 23-28. Coach Compton's squad outrebounded the Phoenix, pulling in 42 rebounds to Cumberland's 32.
The 50 minute contest was a thriller throughout, beginning with a first half that featured six ties and four lead changes. UPIKE spread out the scoring in the opening half, with four different Bears nailing shots through the first seven minutes. A deep three from Taevon Horton at the 13:27 mark gave the Bears their largest lead of the contest to that point, going up 12-7. The teams battled back and forth, exchanging the lead three times and tying twice in the next 10 minutes before a layup by Malcom Green with 3:38 left in the half gave the Bears a 33-25 lead.
After carrying a one-point lead into the second half, UPIKE would be matched again four minutes into the next period. After tying the game at 41, Cumberland picked up the pace defensively, forcing the Bears offense to adapt. After gaining the lead midway through the period, the Phoenix stayed ahead by as much as four but UPIKE stayed resilient. With just a minute to go in regulation, UPIKE came out of a timeout with ferocity, pushing the ball down the court before Perry made a huge three pointer to tie the game at 79. The Bears defense held on the final CU possession, sending the game into OT.
UPIKE roared into the first overtime period with speed and efficiency, mounting an 8-0 run that saw them with a 78-70 lead with 2:56 to go. The next two minutes belonged to Cumberland at the free throw line as the Phoenix hit five from the stripe, adding a pair of fastbreak buckets to make it a two-point game with 0:08 to go. With one second left, Cumberland drew a foul in the paint and made good on both free throws, tying the game at 81 and forcing a second OT.
Cumberland's Taevon King was the catalyst for the Phoenix success in 2OT, scoring six points on a mixture of tough baskets in the paint and free throws. Perry gave the Bears a two-pointer and a trio of free throws, but the Bears would ultimately fall in the final two minutes to CU by a score of 90-86.
The loss moves the Bears to 1-2 on the season as they approach the heart of regular season play.
UPIKE men's basketball returns to the hardwood for a three-game home stand next week beginning with a MSC battle with Campbellsville on Tuesday, December 8th. Tip-off from Appalachian Wireless Arena is slated for 6PM.
