ÐÔÊÓ½çAPP

The Phoenix had a balanced attack led by Jalen Anglin, who poured in a team-high 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Triston Conger followed with an impressive all-around performance, tallying 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting, dishing out seven assists and swiping six steals. Khi Wallace dominated the paint with an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double on an efficient 8-of-11 from the field. Demarius Boyd added 14 points, two rebounds and one steal. Keshawn Robinson contributed 13 points and six rebounds. The Phoenix only picked up one point off the bench in the entire game though.

The Cougars (8-4) delivered an efficient offensive outing, shooting 48.4% from the field (31-of-64) while converting 34.8% (8-of-23) of their attempts from beyond the arc. They excelled at the free-throw line, knocking down an impressive 83.3% (20-of-24). IU-Kokomo was dominant on the glass, outrebounding Cumberland with 42 total boards, including 17 from Max Newman.

Newman led the charge with a huge double-double, posting 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and a game-high 17 rebounds. Noah Harris added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including two 3-pointers, while Evan Kretz chipped in 15 points and five rebounds. Dell DeMyers contributed 13 points and was perfect at the line, going 6-of-6. Chris Chin facilitated the offense with five assists, and Kedric Anderson added five points off the bench including the game-winning shot.

Anglin drained a 3 in the opening minutes, but Newman got going early for Kokomo scoring eight of the team’s first 10 points as the Cougars built a 10-5 lead after four minutes of play. Anglin continued scoring early for Cumberland as he would pick up seven of the teams first nine points at the first stoppage of the game, but the Phoenix trailed 15-9 after six minutes.

Out of the stoppage, Anglin drilled a 3 to score 10 of the first 12 for CU. Riggs Abner added in a free throw for a 6-0 run to make the score 15-13, but Newman drained a 3 to kill the Phoenix run. The 3-ball sparked an 8-2 run for the Cougars, but Cumberland answered on back-to-back possessions with a triple from Robinson and a layup from Conger for a 23-20 deficit with 8:05 left in the half.

The Cougars went on a quick 5-1 spurt with a 3 from Dell DeMyers to get up by seven. Conger hit a jumper from the free-throw line before another bucket from the Cougars kept Kokomo up by seven. The Cougars traded two points for one before Conger made a free throw and he and Boyd each hit jumpers to get the game back within one possession trailing 32-29.

Kokomo got back up by seven with an 8-4 spurt before Cumberland went on a 5-2 run to trail by four at 42-38. Newman drained another triple and Kedric Anderson layed it off the glass. Boyd ended the half with a tough two as CU trailed 47-40.

Newman had 22 at the half with nine rebounds to lead Kokomo. Anglin posted 13 points in the first half for the Phoenix.

Cumberland came soaring back in the second half. The Phoenix picked up points on their first five possessions of the half to storm back and tie the game at 50-50 with a 10-3 run. Kokomo briefly took the lead back, but another 4-0 spurt gave the Phoenix their first lead since 3-2 with 17 minutes left in the game.

The two sides swapped buckets to 56-56 before Wallace and Robinson each made layups to put CU up 60-56 and force the Cougars into a full timeout with 14 minutes to play.

The offense really slowed over the next three minutes for the Phoenix. Cumberland picked up two points on an alley oop from Conger to Wallace. The Cougars offense were able to capitalize on the dry spell for CU to go on a 9-0 run and retake the lead. Conger got into double figures with a jumper and the Phoenix took a time out trailing by three 67-64 heading into the final ten minutes of play.

Out of the timeout, Evan Kretz drained a three from the corner and then hit a layup a possession later. Boyd connected on back-to-back jumpers to keep it within a possession. Kokomo then went on a 6-2 spurt to push their lead out to six. The Phoenix fought back as Robinson hit a jumper and Conger knocked down two shots to tie the game at 78-78 with 4:20 to play.

Tied 82-82, Noah Harris drained a 3 for Kokomo. The Phoenix came down and scored in the paint before another answer by the Cougars. Anglin got a two to go to keep at a one-point game. Anderson hit one-of-two free throws to push it back out to two points before Anglin again answered with a two to tie it with a minute left.

Cumberland had a chance to take the lead, but a three fell short from Boyd. Kokomo milked the clock all the way down and Anderson hit the runner for a 90-88 lead with five seconds left. The Phoenix called a timeout and ran a play for the win, but the shot was no good as the Cougars came away with a 90-88 win.

The Phoenix faced host Oakland City on Monday in their final game of 2024.