McKENZIE, Tenn.--Cumberland goes on the road and upend No. 8-seed Bethel with a 55-50 win on the road at Crisp Arena to advance to the Mid-South Conference Quarterfinals for the first time in five years. 

Cumberland (13-15) knocks off Bethel with the difference in the game coming at the free throw line. The Phoenix went 19-of-23 from the line while the Wildcats struggled from the charity stripe hitting just 10-of-21.

CU really stepped up their defensive play in the second half as they held the Wildcats to 9.1% shooting in the third quarter and 2-of-14 in the second from three in the second half. 

The Phoenix had double-figure performances from Keara Sexton and Lindsey Freeman. Sexton scored a team-high 12 points. Freeman went just 1-of-4 from the field, but really contributed at the line going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. 

Bethel’s (13-16) season comes to an end with the loss. The Wildcats had a great start to the game, but struggled down the stretch to hold onto the lead falling cold from the field allowing the Phoenix to overtake the lead.

The Wildcats went 17-of-52 from the field for 32.7% and went 6-of-19 from beyond the arc. Cumberland held the Bethel leading scorer’s Madison Hart and Keely Morrow to just 14 points combined. Bethel had just five points off the bench.  

Cumberland started the game slowly getting down 10-1 after the first five minutes of play. The Phoenix finally scored the first shot from the field after Kayla Gordon stole the ball in a half-court set and went all the way to the hoop. That sparked a 4-0 run for Cumberland going into the media timeout trailing 10-5. The Wildcats pushed it out to a seven-point lead after the first quarter, 16-9. 

Cumberland chipped away at the lead in the second quarter outscoring Bethel 17-12 to make it a one-point deficit heading into half, 28-27. 

The Phoenix came out in the second half and started fast after Bethel scored the first two points. Freeman buried a three and started a huge 9-0 run and never looked back. The phoenix outscored Bethel in the quarter 18-5 to take a commanding 11-point lead 44-33. 

Bethel tried to come back in the fourth, but Cumberland did a good job of knocking down free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 55-50 win over the Wildcats.
The win moves Cumberland to the Mid-South Conference Quarterfinals to take on the No. 1 seed Campbellsville Tigers. The game will be played at Bowling Green Arena this Thursday. Tip-off is set for 5;00 p.m. central time.