LEBANON, Tenn.--  Cumberland battled throughout, but a late surge from Georgetown proved to be the difference as the Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 79–68 victory.

Georgetown opened the game on a quick 6-2 run before the Phoenix went on a run to take early control. The Phoenix answered with a strong stretch midway through the first quarter, using buckets from Sydney Schwallie, Julia Varpness, and Emaleigh Tarpley to build an 18-10 advantage. Georgetown closed the quarter on a 10-0 run, capped by a Kayra Freeman jumper, to lead 20-18 at the end of the first. 

The second quarter turned into a three-point shootout. After Georgetown scored the first five points to build a 25-18 lead early, Cumberland responded with a 9-0 run behind an and one and back-to-back threes from Braley Bushman to take a 27-25 edge. 

Georgetown slowed the run with a three from Daisy Gale, but Schwallie, Bushman, Colston, and Tarpley all hit timely triples to retake the lead 39-33. Cumberland would score just one more time in the quarter as Georgetown would cut the deficit to 41-38 at the break. 

Georgetown's Freeman opened the second half with a bucket to trim the deficit to one after both teams endured a four-minute scoring drought coming out of the break. The Phoenix responded quickly, as Buckley converted a two-point basket and Schwallie knocked down a three-pointer to stretch the lead to six.

Georgetown answered with two made free throws and a quick basket from Day to narrow the margin to 46-44. Buckley countered with a layup to push the lead back to four, but Gale drained a three pointer off an inbound play to cut the deficit to one. Schwallie responded immediately with a layup of her own, extending the Phoenix advantage to three with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Long connected from beyond the arc to tie the game at 50-50 with three minutes left. Tarpley then finished a contested layup to reclaim the lead, though Long answered on the other end to even the score once again. Georgetown seized the advantage following a Day layup after the Phoenix went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line. Woodbury added a three-pointer to extend the Tigers' lead to four, and Gale capped the surge with a halfcourt heave at the buzzer to give Georgetown a seven-point advantage heading into the final quarter.

The Phoenix entered the fourth quarter trailing 60-53 but quickly mounted a response, using a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to two. Buckley and Tarpley combined to go 3-for-4 at the free throw line, and Tarpley added a layup to fuel the surge.

Georgetown answered with a decisive 6-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Reid and Gale, to extend the lead to nine. Following a timeout, Cumberland responded as Long was fouled after securing an offensive rebound and converted both free throws to make it 67-60. A Schwallie steal led to a contested layup by Long, trimming the deficit to five with five minutes remaining.

However, the Tigers regained control down the stretch. Reid and Gale connected on back-to-back three-pointers, and after another timeout, Gale finished consecutive layups to cap a 10-2 run that stretched the advantage to 13 with just under two minutes to play. Georgetown maintained control from there, securing a 79-68 victory. 

The Phoenix will hit the road for Thursday's matchup as they travel to Henderson to face the No. 2 ranked Freed-Hardeman Lions at 5:30. You can listen to the Phoenix on 98.9 WANT FM.