Bulldogs drop conference opener on road

RIO GRANDE, Ohio – Brian Blackmon was Cumberland’s only scorer in double figures Thursday night as the Bulldogs dropped their conference opener against Rio Grande 74-55 Thursday night.

CU (2-2, 0-1 Mid-South) was unable to contain the RedStorm’s D.D. Joiner, who ended with a game-high 27 points, nearly doubling his 15-point season average. The Bulldogs were overwhelmed by URG on the glass, losing the rebounding war by eight and giving up 11 on the offensive end.

Fifty seconds into the game, Kenneth Stripling’s three-pointer put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard first, but CU would be fighting from behind the remainder of the game after two free throws and a field goal by Rio Grande.

E.J. Perry entered the game for Cumberland and on his first touch nailed a three-pointer from the wing to cut the lead to 8-6. Tykeim Moss answered for the RedStorm with a triple of his own, and three Rio Grande players scored on three consecutive baskets, upping their lead to 17-6.

URG (3-2, 1-0) continued to score inside the paint and off second chance buckets, upping their lead to 16. Tajadeen Abdul-Kaudeyr provided some relief for CU, coming off of the bench to hit two field goals, and Lester Gude hit a deep three to trim Rio’s lead to 30-19. Joiner then went to work for the RedStorm, providing his own seven point outburst by hitting two free throws, a field goal and a three-pointer to put URG in control by 18. Abdul-Kaudeyr had a put back as time expired to close out the half, with the Bulldogs trailing 37-21.

Blackmon scored the first seven points for the Bulldogs in the second half, hitting four free throws and a three-pointer, but CU still found themselves down 43-28. Once again, Perry entered the game and connected on a three on his first catch, and Jerret Towns scored in the lane to cut the lead down to 12. After a Joiner score in the paint, Perry again connected from downtown, and Blackmon hit one of two free throws to bring Cumberland to within ten.

Eli Gillis let a three-point shot fly, and it bounced around and in to get the Bulldogs to within single digits, down 46-37. With 8:21 remaining, Gude secured his second shot from deep to slice the deficit to eight.

The final 12 minutes of the contest did not continue to favor Cumberland, as the RedStorm steadily built the lead back up with their largest advantage boasting 21 points, to come out on top 74-55.

For CU, Perry ended the night with nine points, Abdul-Kaudeyr and Creshaun Holt each chipped in eight, while Holt and Stripling compiled five boards apiece.

Jermaine Warmack added 11 points for the RedStorm, and Joiner shared team-high rebounding honors with Bruce Komakech, each pulling down six.

The Bulldogs will continue their Ohio road trip today, traveling to Shawnee State for a 3 p.m. CT contest.