NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Cumberland led for much of the night and carried a seven-point advantage into the second half, but a late technical foul and a strong closing stretch at the free-throw line allowed Trevecca Nazarene to escape with an 84-79 victory over the Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon. 

Cumberland shot 45.0 percent from the floor on the night, going 27-of-60 overall, but struggled from beyond the arc at just 2-of-11 (18.2 percent). The Phoenix leaned heavily on their interior play, winning the rebounding battle 49-34, including 15 offensive boards that helped generate second-chance opportunities. Cumberland finished 23-of-33 at the free-throw line (69.7 percent) but turnovers proved costly, as the Phoenix committed 23 giveaways while Trevecca converted those into key points late. 

Michael Nwoye had an all-around performance, finishing with 17 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 37 minutes. Nick Brunetti added 15 points and four assists, while Triston Conger chipped in 13 points and four assists before he fouled out with nearly 12 minutes left to play. Jordan Jenkins provided a spark off the bench scoring 12 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting and added five rebounds and two steals. Jake Hatch went 4-of-5 from the field for nine points and five rebounds, while Matt Stokes contributed eight points and six boards in limited minutes.A

Trevecca shot 44.4 percent from the field (28-of-63) and relied heavily on perimeter scoring, knocking down 10 three-pointers on 33 attempts (30.3 percent). The Trojans surged in the second half, shooting 55.2 percent after halftime and scoring 51 points over the final 20 minutes. Trevecca went 18-of-32 at the free-throw line and finished with a 17-13 edge in assists, while forcing 23 Cumberland turnovers that led to 26 points. Trevecca's bench outscored Cumberland 32-17 and the Trojans closed the game by holding the Phoenix scoreless over the final minute.

Jax Abernathy led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting while adding three assists and two steals. Da'Shon Fisher posted 17 points on an efficient 7-of-11 effort and came up with three steals, while Brett Wright added 17 points with four three-pointers off the bench. Spencer White contributed six points and four assists, and Fred Bailey grabbed six rebounds while dishing out four assists to help steady Trevecca down the stretch.

Cumberland controlled the early tempo and steadily built momentum throughout the opening half, using balanced scoring and strong interior play to grab the lead. After Trevecca briefly evened the score at 7-7, the Phoenix answered with an 11-0 run highlighted by buckets from Michael Nwoye and Triston Conger to take a 13-7 advantage. Cumberland continued to attack the paint and earn trips to the free-throw line, as Nwoye, Brunetti, and Riggs Abner combined to extend the lead to 22-17 near the midpoint of the half. The Phoenix leaned on ball movement and second-chance opportunities, with Hatch and Jenkins adding key finishes around the rim to keep Cumberland in front.

Trevecca attempted to claw back behind perimeter shooting from Abernathy, White, and Bass, trimming the margin to as close as two possessions late in the half. Cumberland responded each time, with Hatch scoring on consecutive jumpers and Brunetti knocking down a three-pointer off a Conger assist to push the lead back to five. Conger capped a strong first half with a pair of jumpers and Riggs Abner calmly sank free throws in the final minutes as the Phoenix closed the half on a 14-8 stretch to carry a 40-33 lead into the locker room.

Trevecca seized control in the second half with a decisive run out of the locker room, erasing Cumberland's halftime lead and flipping the momentum midway through the period. The Trojans used a balanced inside-out attack, sparked by Fisher and Wright, to surge in front after tying the game at 59–59 with 10:46 remaining. 

Cumberland continued to answer, as Nwoye powered home a dunk and Jenkins and Brunetti combined for multiple finishes at the rim to keep the Phoenix within one possession. Despite the push, Trevecca's efficiency at the free-throw line and timely perimeter shooting allowed the Trojans to stretch the margin to nine with just over four minutes to play.

The Phoenix made one final charge in the closing minutes, trimming the deficit to a single point after Brunetti's layup with 48 seconds remaining. However, a late technical foul on Cumberland with 25 seconds left proved decisive, sending Jax Abernathy to the line for four consecutive free throws. Abernathy converted all four attempts to seal the outcome, as Trevecca closed out the final seconds at the stripe and held on for the 84-79 victory.

Cumberland will have a 10-day break now to recoup and regroup heading into conference play set to begin on Saturday, January 10 at Lindsey Wilson.