Bulldog season ends with loss to Patriots

Cumberland’s 2012-13 men's season concluded with a 75-72 loss to the University of the Cumberlands Monday night at the Dallas Floyd Recreation Center.

Seniors Creshaun Holt and Charles Stewart each earned double-doubles on the evening in their last night as Bulldogs.

Holt led CU with 22 points and 11 rebounds while Stewart recorded the first double-double of his career with 13 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and also handed out five assists.

With 53 seconds left in the ballgame, Holt hit a step-back jumper to pull CU within 70-68. The Patriots immediately called a timeout and Antonio Bumpus converted a layup six seconds later to extend the lead to four. Holt again came up big, this time making a shot in the lane while drawing the foul with 32 ticks remaining and the Bulldogs trailing 72-70.

Holt’s free throw was off the mark, but Stewart snuck in to grab the offensive rebound but lost it in a mad scramble in the lane to UC’s Shaquille Lowery. The Bulldogs were forced to foul and Lowery connected on the front end of the bonus shots to extend the lead to three. His second shot fell off of the rim but another Bulldog foul sent him back to the line, this time hitting the second foul shot to push the Patriot advantage to four with 17 seconds left.

Stewart raced down the floor and drove through the lane to knock down a tough shot with 10 seconds remaining to close the gap to 74-72. The Bulldogs once again fouled Lowery, who hit the first free throw but missed the second, giving CU an opportunity to tie the game up with eight seconds to play, but Jerret Towns' 3-point attempt from the top of the key was wide left, giving the Patriots the three-point victory.

The contest was close throughout, with neither squad leading by more than eight points. Holt put together his own run for the Bulldogs five minutes into the contest, hitting back-to-back jumpers followed by a 3-pointer to pull CU within 14-12. E.J. Perry hit a trey to give the Bulldogs a 17-14 edge and nailed another one from deep at the nine minute mark to push his team’s lead to 26-20.

With one minute to go in the first half, UC’s Benito Santiago, Jr., hit a shot from deep and then blocked a Holt field goal attempt on the other end, sending UC into the locker room with a 35-34 lead. 

For the University of the Cumberlands (19-11, 10-10), Santiago, Jr., scored a game-high 28 points and Antonio Bumpus added 15.

The Bulldogs finished the season with a record of 9-20 and 5-15 in Mid-South Conference play. The program loses four seniors – Holt, Stewart, Towns and Elijah Gillis.