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CONTRIBUTED BY MILLIGAN ATHLETICS

WILLIAMSBURG, KY – David Tripp and Adam Graham combined for 33 points, but the Milligan University men’s basketball team fell to No. 15 University of the Cumberlands, 81-56, Tuesday night on the road.

The game represented Milligan’s season opener.

Tripp scored 19 points after going 8-for-15 from the floor. Graham was a spark off the bench with 14 points on 3-for-9 shooting. Tyler Faulkenberry scored eight points and registered a team-high nine rebounds.

Milligan and Cumberlands stayed even through the first five minutes until an 11-0 Patriots run made it a double-digit game nearly the rest of the way. Cumberlands closed the first half on an 8-0 run to go ahead by 22 at the break, its largest lead of the game until that point.

It stayed close to a 20-point game the entire second half, with Milligan getting as close as 17 after a pair of Graham made free throws near the eight-minute mark.

Four players made it to double figures in scoring for Cumberlands, led by Deng Mayot and Steven Fitzgerald who both scored 13. Mayot added a game-high 16 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive end.

Up next, Milligan starts its home and Appalachian Athletic Conference slates with Point coming to town Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup. Home games this season can be followed online at milliganbuffs.com.