LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland trailed by as much as 17 points early in the game, but rallied in the second half capped by a Kayla Gordon floater off the glass to give Cumberland the lead with a minute to play. Cumberland would hold on with three defensive stops in the final 60 seconds to come out with a hard-fought 60-58 win to start the second half of the season. 

Cumberland (9-5) started sluggishly only shooting 29% in the first half, but the Phoenix outscored Oakland City 37-22 in the second half to come-from-behind and steal the win. 

The Phoenix finished at 21-of-59 from the field only making two three pointers. Cumberland went to the foul line 23 times, converting on 16 shots. The Phoenix forced the Mighty Oaks into 24 turnovers that translated into 20 points. 

Lindsey Freeman was the only Phoenix in double figures with 13, none bigger than a three she hit in the corner with just over a minute to play to cut it to a one-point game. Kayla Gordon posted nine points with what proved to be the game-winning shot. Britany Miller scored nine off the bench with a slew of Phoenix chipping in around them for an all-around team win. 

Oakland City (10-3) is receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll. Oakland City looked great in the first half forcing Cumberland into mistakes on tough full court press, but found themselves in foul trouble down the stretch. The Mighty Oaks went 22-of-49 from the field with six threes and went 8-of-11 from the free throw line. 

Taylor Dillard and Emilee Hope finished in double-figures at 11 and 12, respectively as the only two players in double-figures for Oakland City. 

The first quarter was high-intensity from the opening tip with both teams putting on full court pressure allowing Cumberland to be in the bonus after just two minutes of play. Despite the early fouls by the Mighty Oaks, CU could not capitalize as Oakland City jumped out to an 8-1 lead early. 

Gordon converted an and-one to cut it to a four point game, but OCU’s Campbell answered on the other end. Taylor followed to push it back out to an eight point lead where it would stand at the end of the quarter, 16-8. 

The Mighty Oaks kept the pressure on in the second quarter and worked the eight-point lead into a 17-point lead at 35-18 with 2:27 left in the half. Cumberland closed the half on a 6-0 run to build some momentum in the half.

The Phoenix continued  that start with a big 10-2 run to cut it to a five point game with 4:51 left in the third. Oakland City pushed it back out to an eight point lead after a three from Marissa Austin to make it 44-36. Cumberland scored their next four points from the free throw line before Emilee Hope made a three for a 47-41 deficit heading into the fourth quarter.

To start the fourth, Alaina Rongos banked in a triple and Josie Harville hit a jumper in the paint for a 5-0 run to make it a one-point game at 47-46. At 52-50, the Mighty Oaks went on a 5-0 run to make it a seven point game with 5:29 to play.  

JC Swafford and Tierra Davis made back-to-back shots before Ellen Meeringa made one-of-two from the line to make it 58-54 with 2:20 to play. 

Freeman hit one of the biggest shots of the game with a three from the corner to cut it to a one-point game again. After Cumberland forced a shot clock violation, Gordon hit a floater off the glass for the Phoenix’s first lead at 59-58 with 1:09 left. On the defensive end, Freeman rejected a shot for a stop and then Cumberland got a big offensive rebound with 23 to play taking a timeout. 

Cumberland turned it over out of the timeout, but diving on the floor to get a steal was Gordon taking their final timeout of the game with six seconds. Freeman was sent to the line on the ensuing play and converted one-of-two. The Phoenix defense did not allow a shot on the final possession to come out with a 60-58 win. 

Cumberland will be back on the road next Thursday in Mid-South Conference action against Shawnee State and Pikeville next Thursday and Saturday.