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Bluefield earned a convincing home victory on Thursday night in the Dome against Cumberlands (Ky.).

Trey Wilson

February 22, 2013

Bluefield earned a convincing home victory on Thursday night in the Dome against Cumberlands (Ky.).

The Rams (9-17, 4-15 Mid-South Conference) won their second consecutive home game as they took down the Patriots (18-11, 9-10 MSC), 76-64.

Bluefield was led in scoring by Byron Carpenter, who posted 23 points. The senior center continued his late-season scoring outburst, breaking the 20-point mark for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Carpenter, whose 22.3 points per game average ranks in the top five nationally, moved past former Rams star Omar Reed on the Bluefield all-time scoring list in the second half. With one game remaining, the Virginia Beach native has now scored 1763 points in his three-year Bluefield career.

Junior guard Kearsten Marion also had a big night for Bluefield, going a sharp 6-for-7 from three-point range en route to a 20-point game.

After halting a late first-half charge from Cumberlands, the Rams took a 33-32 lead into the intermission.

Cumberlands took a 34-33 lead after Benito Santiago, Jr. sank a short jumper to start the second half. On the Patriots’ next possession, Bluefield’s Eric Swift got a steal at half court and threw down a two-hand dunk at the other end to put the Rams back ahead by one.

After Santiago and Antonio Bumpus each split a pair of free throws to put the Patriots ahead, Kearsten Marion drilled a three-pointer to put Bluefield back on top. Marion dropped in a floater down the lane on the next possession to put the Rams ahead by four, and they never relinquished the lead.

Marion and Shaheem Jones each hit three-pointers on the ensuing Bluefield possessions to give the Rams a comfortable 46-38 lead. The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game and the Patriots could not close the deficit.

The Rams made 12 of their first 16 shots in the second half on their way to a 49 percent shooting performance on the night.

Cumberlands won the rebounding battle 38-29, including a 16-8 advantage on the offensive glass, but turned the ball over 19 times. The Rams limited their turnovers to 11.

Pierre Walters broke into double figures with 10 points for the game. He also grabbed seven rebounds.

Santiago scored a game-high 29 points and hauled in 14 rebounds.

The Patriots have now lost nine of their last 12 games since they were ranked No. 1 in the national poll in January. They have lost all seven of their road contests since the turn of the new year.

The Rams return to court on Saturday for the final game of the season and the final game of Carpenter’s storied Bluefield career. Tip-off against Cumberland (Tenn.) is scheduled for 4 p.m. in the Dome.

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