LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland University Women's Basketball team returns home Thursday evening to host No. 21 University of the Cumberlands in Mid-South Conference action. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT inside the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena.
Cumberland looks to bounce back after a challenging road stretch that included matchups against No. 3 Bethel University and No. 4 Campbellsville. Despite competitive efforts in both contests, the Phoenix came up short and now turn their focus to defending their home court against a nationally ranked opponent.
The Phoenix enter Thursday's matchup with a 14-10 overall record and an 0-8 mark in conference play. This will mark the second and final regular-season meeting between the two programs. Earlier this season, the Patriots secured a 67-59 victory in Williamsburg, Ky.
Cumberland will be led by redshirt sophomore guard Braley Bushman, who is coming off a standout performance against Campbellsville. Bushman poured in 22 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line, while adding four rebounds. Junior guard Faith Colston contributed seven points against the Tigers on 3-of-5 shooting while senior guard Ever Walker added eight points, knocking down two three-pointers, while Maddie Brillhart chipped in seven points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor.
In conference play, the Phoenix are shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 31.1 percent from three-point range, and 73.6 percent from the free-throw line. Cumberland has been strong on the glass, ranking fourth in the conference in offensive rebounding (13.4 per game) and fifth in defensive rebounding (25.7 per game). Defensively, the Phoenix rank second in the conference in turnovers forced (19.1 per game) and average 9.1 steals per contest.
The Patriots enter Thursday's contest riding a five-game losing streak following a 72-57 loss to RV Georgetown College last Saturday. Despite the recent slide, University of the Cumberlands remains a challenging opponent.
Senior guard Joy Kendrick leads the Patriots offensively, averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting a team-best 48.7 percent from the field. Senior center Lakin Burke adds 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest, while Darcie Anderson contributes 7.3 points per game and shoots 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. In the paint, 6-foot-4 senior Zaram Fredricks anchors the interior, averaging a team-leading 11.4 rebounds per game.
Turnover margin and interior defense will be key factors for the Phoenix. Limiting second-chance opportunities and containing the Patriots' inside presence will be critical in Thursday's matchup.
The two programs have met 41 times since 1999, with the Patriots holding a 27-14 advantage in the series. University of the Cumberlands has won 13 consecutive meetings, but Cumberland will look to use home-court advantage to snap the streak.
Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT in Lebanon, Tenn. Fans can listen live on 98.9 WANT or watch the game on the Urban Edge Network.
