Strong Second Quarter Propels Patriots Past Wildcats

Amerah Steele | University of the Cumberlands Athletic

By Press release submission

Feb 3, 2023

(RV) Cumberlands women's basketball utilized 33 second quarter points and a career-performance from Amerah Steele to defeat Bethel 86-81 Thursday night at Crisp Arena. The win was the Patriots fifth-straight road win and improves their record to 17-5 overall and 11-5 in MSC play.

Steele recorded a season-high 19 points and notched a career-high six steals in the win, while Destiny Haworth led the way with 20 points, including shooting 6-7 from behind-the-arc. Kaylie Monday chipped in 16 points and a pair of steals, while Lakin Burke added ten points and four rebounds. Kassie Monday dished out six assists and notched three steals in the game. The six assists puts her over 250 assists for her career.

The Patriots won the tip and on the opening possession Kassie Monday found Victory Fredricks on the post for a bucket. Bethel went on an 8-2 run to take the lead before Fredricks found Destiny Haworth at the top of the key for a three-pointer to make it 8-7 three minutes into the first quarter. Amerah Steele put UC in front with a 15-foot jumper to make it 9-8 midway through the period. The Patriots grabbed three offensive rebounds before Lakin Burke hit a jumper to even the score at 11-11 with 4:30 remaining. Bethel closed out the quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 18-13 advantage.

UC came out in the second quarter with three's from Haworth and Steele to put the Patriots in front before Brittni Allison added a layup to make it 23-20 with 7:53 remaining. Kassie Monday and Hawroth both connected with Kaylie Monday from long range before Haworth adds one of her own to make it 32-26 midway through the period. Cumberlands closed out the half on a 14-2 run, capped off by a pair of three-pointers from Haworth to take a 46-31 lead. The Patriots finished the period converting 86.7% from the field, including going 7-7 from deep.

Haworth comes out in the third quarter drains a three-pointer and tallies a steal on the first two possessions. The two teams traded points over the next few minutes before Kassie Monday banked in a jumper to extend UC's lead to 55-36 with 7:14 remaining. Bethel scored eight unanswered points, before Kaylie Monday notched a steal and layup to give Cumberlands a 57-44 lead with 4:00 minutes left in the quarter. Burke added four straight Patriot points, however Bethel went on a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 61-54 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Patriots opened the fourth quarter on a 6-1 run as Steele tallied a field goal and a steal extending the lead to 67-55 two minutes into the period. Bethel went on a 8-2 run to cut the deficit to 69-63 before Channing Lewis and Kassie Monday added layup to give UC a 73-65 lead midway through the period. Lewis added another layup, however, Bethel cut the lead to 75-73 with 3:15 remaining. Burke drained a 15-footer to push the lead to 77-73. The Wildcats pulled within a point before Steele and Kaylie Monday both converted layups to put UC in front 82-79 with 54.2 seconds remaining. Lewis added four of free throws in the closing seconds for the 86-81 final.

The Patriots will travel to Hendersonville, TN to face Freed-Hardeman on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. EST with live video available here.