LEBANON, Tenn.---Cumberland Women's Basketball heads back on the road Saturday, as they will be heading to Georgetown, Kentucky to take on the Georgetown Tigers. Tipoff is set for 12:00 p.m. CT at the Davis-Reid Alumni Gym.
The Phoenix will enter the game with a 14-4 overall record and a 0-2 Mid-South Conference play record, looking to bounce back after a hard fought 67-59 loss at 14-ranked University of the Cumberlands. Georgetown enters the game coming off a 0-2 start in Mid-South Conference play following a buzzer beater loss at No. 6 Freed-Hardeman and a loss to No. 2 Bethel Wildcats.
Cumberland features Emaleigh Tarpley who is shooting 49.4 percent on the court and is a 78.5 percent free throw shooter and averages 12.3 points per game, and a key player on the defensive side of the court as she averages 8.1 rebounds a game. Faith Colston will also play a key role for the Phoenix's defense as she averages 5.5 rebounds a game and is shooting 35.6 percent on the court, 36.4 percent from behind the arc, and a 72 percent shooter at the line. Tarpley and Colston are the focal point of the Phoenix's defence as they look to slow down the Georgetown Tigers as they have the 4th best offensive shooting in the nation.
Offensively, the Phoenix will be led by Braley Bushman and Ty Buckley. Bushman, a redshirt sophomore guard, is averaging 11.8 points per game and is shooting 45.4 percent from the court and 40.5 percent from behind the arc. Buckley is averaging a team high 16.2 points per game and is shooting 41.8 percent from the court and 29.7 percent from the three.
The Lady Tigers will come into play Receiving Votes for Saturday's matchup and have a 15-3 overall record and have a 0-2 record in the Mid-South Conference. Georgetown has the 4th best offensive shooting percentage in the nation and also is in the top ten for offensive rebounds. The Lady Tigers average 90.4 points per game but have been held to 67.5 points per game in conference play. Georgetown is shooting 43.1 percent and 30.9 percent from the three, their team average at the line is 76.3.
The Tigers of Georgetown will enter the matchup with potent freshman guard Daysha Reid. She has been named Mid-South Conference Player of the Week one time and has also won National Player of the Week. She averages 16.1 points per game shooting 42.5 percent from the field and is also shooting the three ball at 36.3 percent. Daisy Gale, a sophomore guard will be another key player for the lady tigers as she enters the game averaging 16.3 points per game and shooting 40.4 percent on the court, while shooting 81.5 percent at the line, and also averaging 8.1 rebounds a game. Eszter Dioszegi, a freshman forward will be down low for the Tigers. She is shooting 48.5 percent and is averaging 6.7 rebounds a game for the Lady Tigers.
Saturday's matchup will be decided if the Phoenix can slow down the Lady Tigers explosive offense and win the rebounding game as Georgetown is in the top ten in both categories. The Phoenix will be tested with the outstanding one two punch of Georgetown's guards Reid and Gale and the offensive rebounding from the Lady Tigers.
The two programs have met 36 times dating back to 1999, and the Lady Tigers have the advantage 21-15 all-time in the series. Cumberland will look to flip the table as the Tigers have won seven straight.
Tipoff is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m CT on Saturday in Georgetown, Kentucky, as the Phoenix look to answer back after a hard fought loss Thursday. You can listen to the Lady Phoenix on 98.9 WANT or watch the game on Urban Edge Network.
