2005-2006 Season Wrap-Up

2004-2005 Season Wrap-Up


After staring out the season with a preseason ranking of #23, the University of the Cumberlands Men’s Basketball Team went on an 8-0 run to open up the year and quickly moved up to #9 in the nation. However, after losing their next two games to Brescia and #1 Mountain State, UC fell back to #23 and eventually out of the polls. In the next games the Patriots went 3-1 and moved back up to #16.

As Mid-South Conference play started the Patriots went 5-2 and again moved way up the polls to #8 in the nation. However, as UC lost the next three games they fell out of the rankings once again. After winning the final game of the season, the Patriots went into the MSC tournament ranked at #22.

In the first round the Patriots won over Lambuth 72-53, but fell in the second round to Georgetown 80-68. After finishing up the season in disappointing style, the Patriots did not receive a bid to nationals, even though they were ranked as high as 8 th and went 21-9.

Despite this, the Patriots did rack up individual honors this season. Senior, Patrick Cureton ( Greenville, SC) and Junior, Sam Brown ( Cleveland, TX) were named to the MSC All-Conference team, while Senior, Pierre Darden ( Cincinnati, OH) was named honorable mention. Brown, along with juniors, Ryan Williams ( West Liberty, KY) and Christopher Simmons ( St. Louis, MO) were named MSC Academic All-Conference teammates. Cureton was also named NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, while Williams and Simmons were named Daktronics NAIA Academic All-Americans.

Although not the season expected, the Patriots competed well and had the potential needed to compete at the NAIA National Tournament level. Losing several key players will make it tough on the Patriots but look for Coach Butcher and the team to rebound with a new class and returning player’s to again put it all the line.