PIKEVILLE, Ky.-  No. 5 Pikeville holds Cumberland scoreless in the first five minutes of the second half to put themselves in the driver's seat as they go on to beat Cumberland 66-51.

Cumberland (9-4, 1-1 MSC) shot 38% on the game, but struggled in the second half going 6-of-22 down the stretch. The Phoenix were outrebounded 42-30 and gave up 18 offensive rebounds to the Bears. The Phoenix held Pikeville to 66, who came in averaging 85 points per game, but unfortunately it was Cumberlands low of the season as well.

Pikeville (12-0, 2-0 MSC) did not light it up shooting 39% from the field, but did take advantage of Cumberland turnovers and made some big second chance points. The Bears did a great job smothering the Phoenix and not giving many open looks all game.

Jalen Duke was very efficient going 9-of-10 from the field posting 20 points and six rebounds. Aaron Ridley posted 11 points and five boards.

Pikeville ran their offense through Jordan Perry and Luke Layhew. Perry led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Layhew posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds,

Jalen Duke hit a jumper in the lane to open up the Phoenix scoring on the first possession. Gaona hits a three after a good off ball screen from the right wing to give the Bears an early 7-4 lead. Duke buried another jumper from the lane on a step back off of Pikeville's Perry. Ridley takes on his defender on-on one and hits a tough contested lay-up. The next play, Bears Barton hits a two pointer and forced Starkey to pick up his second foul early in the game.

Ridley hits a deep three as the Bears slacked off on him to tie the game at 15-15. Pikeville's Jordan Perry breaks the Cumberland trap for a lay in and hits a three deep in the shot clock to give the Bears the 20-19 lead with 7:36 left in the first half. Duke puts up another jumper from 19 feet out for the back and forth match early on. UPike puts together a 11-5 run at the end of the half for a 35-30 lead.

Luke Layhew and Jordan Perry combined for 23 of Pikeville's 35 points and Duke and Ridley put up 19 together at the half.

The Phoenix came out flat to start the second half as Duke made an errant pass in the opening moments of the second half that led to a three on one fast break for Pikeville. Perry came up with a tough two point jumper just outside the paint to pick up where Pikeville left off in the first half. Gaona hit two 18 foot jumpers for a 43-30 lead.  It took six minutes before Cumberland would get a bucket by Duke at the free throw line. 

Asher Blum hit a three ball from the left corner to get things rolling after DeMari Davis hit one of two free throws. Ridley come up with a step back three to cut the lead to nine. Davis swats Layhew shot attempt all the way out to the logo as Cumberland gets a big stop that they needed, but CU turned the ball over on two straight possessions to allow Pikeville four points and a comfortable 14 point lead as Pikeville ran the clock out for the rest of the game.

Cumberland will play Union University in Jackson, Tennessee on December 14th at 4 p.m.