WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Women's basketball saw its five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday against the University of the Cumberlands, 62-50. The Patriots (17-10, 10-8 MSC), who were receiving votes in the most recent NAIA Poll and playing, held the No. 14 Bears (20-7, 11-6 MSC) to just under 24–percent from the field in the road loss.
Hampering the Bears' offense all game long were 19 Bears' turnovers that included multiple traveling calls that went against both sides throughout the game. Despite the low scoring game, the Patriots put three players in double figures with Dace Bicane leading the way with 17 points. Erica Lane and Vernisha Moss finished with 12 and 10, respectively. Alannah Sheets finished the game with 14 points for the Bears while Schera Sampson added a double-double with a game-high 14 rebounds and 11 points.
The opening half saw both sides struggle to put the ball in the basket early on as the two squads were tied at 10-all with under nine minutes to go in the opening half. After the score got to 16-14 in favor of UC with 6:44 to go in the opening half, the Patriots went on a 9-1 run to close the remainder of that time and took a 25-16 lead into the break.
The 16 first-half points from the Bears was the fewest in a single half in program history, eclipsing the previous low of 17 that they scored against Briar Cliff in the 2002 NAIA Tournament.
Shawnee State brought the game back to within six, 34-28, with just over 12 minutes to play in the second half but just could not get any closer. After the teams traded baskets to make it 36-30 with 10:06 to play, SSU only scored one point in nearly a three minute span and the Patriots lead grew to 42-31.
The Bears would get back to within nine, 49-40, after an Allison Nagle three with 4:26 on the clock but after a UC free throw stretched the lead out to 10 points, the hosts would never lead by any less than that margin over the final four-plus minutes.
Women's basketball will look to bounce back next weekend when it returns to its home court for the final full weekend of Mid-South Basketball. They will take on UVA-Wise next Thursday at 6 p.m. before the final home game of the season against Pikeville on Saturday at 2 p.m. That following Monday, the team will travel to Rio Grande and wrap up the regular season on the road before prepping for the Mid-South Tournament.
