NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jerrod Gaston recorded 16 points, all in the second half, and Uros Benacek added 14 points and 10 rebounds, both guys off the bench, in Cumberland’s 83-70 victory over Fisk here Thursday night at Henderson Johnson Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs (1-1) got 35 points off the bench, none bigger than Gaston’s 16, including six during a 12-3 spurt midway through the second half after Fisk pulled within 53-50. Gaston’s third field goal put the visitors ahead, 59-50, with 12:31 remaining. Neither team scored for more than three minutes after that point until a layup by Benacek ended the scoreless stretch.

Gaston added another bucket the next time down the floor and then three foul shots over the next 90 seconds, pushing Cumberland’s advantage to 65-53. The Bulldogs made 9-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes to ice the victory.

Gaston and Benacek’s efforts were part of five players in double-digits for CU, including 12 points from DeMario Frazier, 11 by Josh Wilkerson and 10 from Telvin Wilkerson. Cumberland committed 28 turnovers, allowing Fisk to net 24 points off the miscues, but took better care of the ball down the stretch than in Wednesday’s loss to Indiana University-Southeast.

Richmond Jackson posted 20 points and Michael Vardaman added 16 for Fisk, but the home team shot just 40 percent from the field and was only 6-for-29 from behind the arc. The Bulldogs also dominated in the paint, outscoring Fisk, 48-34, and outrebounding the home team, 45-27.

Frazier collected seven boards, Moritz Dern and Gaston each registered six and Wilkerson recorded five in a very balanced effort on the glass for CU.

Cumberland started quickly, jumping out to a 9-2 advantage behind buckets from Wilkerson and Dern as well as two field goals, including a 3-pointer, from Alex Flagler, but Fisk answered with a 7-0 spurt to tie the contest, with Jackson posting two field goals and Austin Watkins finishing an old-fashioned 3-point play.

The Bulldogs led 17-16 before an 8-0 run by the visitors pushed the lead back to nine. Josh Wilkerson hit two baskets, Flagler had one and Dern made two free throws during the mini-run. Josh Wilkerson’s final jumper with 42 seconds left in the half gave Cumberland a 41-33 advantage at intermission.

Cumberland plays its third game in five days on Saturday at Oakwood University before returning home on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. contest, also against Oakwood.