Published: January 14, 2007 12:03 am         

Cougars fall to the Cumberlands in OT

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — Another game at the University of Cumberlands, another overtime thriller for Mountain State University.

This time it didn’t work out in the Cougars’ favor.

Sam Brown scored nine of his game-high 28 points in overtime as the Patriots knocked off No. 5 Mountain State 91-86 Saturday.

Mountain State had sent the game to overtime on a Renardo “Slim” Dixon three-pointer with 1.4 seconds left.

But the Patriots established momentum early in the overtime by hitting back-to-back threes. From there, MSU (15-4) was reduced to playing catch up. Paul Wright hit just inside of 1:30 to pull MSU to within three, 87-84, but they would get no closer.

“Those two threes were big, helping them get the momentum,” MSU coach Bob Bolen said. “It was a tough battle, a slugfest, and somebody had to come out on the bottom. Unfortunately, it was us.”

Jarvis Jackson, making his ninth start of the year at point guard, led MSU with 21 points before fouling out.

Wright added 20 points off the bench, Ralph Legg had 19 (14 in the first half) and Dixon added 11.

Mountain State led by as many as 14 in the first half, 18-4 and 32-18, but the Cumberland started coming back late in the half and trailed by single digits at the break.

Darnell Howell had 23 for the Cumberlands (11-5 and winners of seven straight) and Mike Gibson added 16.

The loss ended a seven-game win streak by the Cougars.

Yusef Baker fouled out with seven minutes left and the score tied 70-70. Saddled with foul trouble throughout, Baker, Mountain State’s leading rebounder and shot blocker, played just 10 minutes and scored just eight points.

Mountain State returns to the Armory Tuesday to face WVU Tech.