McKenzie, Tenn.-- Cumberland earns an electric victory, taking down the Bethel Wildcats to head to the MSC quarterfinals. Tyler Byrd drained a three at the buzzer to secure the team’s exciting win.

The Phoenix had a fantastic team effort with four players hitting double-figures led by Nassir Coleman with 16. Jaylen Negron was strong from start to finish, picking up 14 points. Isaac Stephens picked up a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards. Tyler Byrd recorded 11 points off the bench including the game-winning shot.

The Wildcats also had four members hit double-digit points with Querrion Gadson adding a game-high of 17. Tyler Neely had a big night with a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Phoenix (No. 9 seed) hit 26-of-64 (40.6%) from the field while the Wildcats (No. 8 seed) went 24-of-51 (47.1%). Neither team found much luck from behind the arc as Cumberland sank only five of their 19 attempts and Bethel only hit two total. 

The Phoenix were outrebounded 44-32, but maintained better ball control with only five turnovers compared to Bethel’s 11. Cumberland scored six points off of the eight total Bethel turnovers in the first twenty minutes, as they gave up only two of their own.

Both teams played tight out of the gate as neither side could get anything to fall for the first two and a half minutes. 

Bethel picked up the first point of the half on a free throw, but it would be their only bucket in the first five minutes as CU immediately answered with an 8-0 run.

The Phoenix maintained the lead down the stretch of the half, expanding it as far as 11 points when Stephens drove to the rim for a difficult layup. 

The Wildcats cleaned up their play for the final five minutes with a 12-3 scoring run to close in on the Phoenix and take their first real lead at 29-27.

Coleman drew a foul on the defensive rebound and knocked down both free throws to tie it up 29-29 at the 1:21 mark. 

Bethel was unable to execute on their final possession of the half, missing a jumper with Negron there to clean up the board. He held the ball until the final second when he let an eight foot jumper fly and land for a 31-29 lead at the break.

The Phoenix went up by seven within the first minute and a half of the second half with Demarius Boyd and Negron hitting a pair of threes. 

Connor Gutherie came alive for the Wildcats sinking two jumpers on an 8-2 run to tie up the game at 47-47.

Byrd put his team back out in front with his second three of the game and Cumberland stayed up by at least two possessions for the next four minutes.

Once again, the Wildcats relentlessly clawed their way back to a late-game lead on a 7-2 run, during which Latrell Cater hit two layups and one from the charity stripe.

Down by one at the 2:30 mark, Byrd hit a crucial jumper to give the favor back to Cumberland at 64-63. On the next possession, Neely was fouled down in the lane for the opportunity to put Bethel back up by one.

At the 1:40 mark, Stephens made a huge drive to the rim for the overarm layup and-one to give CU a two point advantage at 67-65. The lead wouldn’t survive long as Stephens committed back-to-back fouls and the Wildcats hit three-of-four from the line with just over a minute left.

Down by one with 11 seconds on the clock, Negron took the ball baseline to baseline but had it knocked out at the rim.

Negron inbounded the ball to Byrd who had 1.5 seconds to let it fly from behind the arc and he drained it at the buzzer while also drawing the foul. Cumberland claimed the victory with a 80-78 score, which will send them to Bowling Green for the quarterfinals.

The Phoenix will face Georgetown on Saturday at noon.