Twenty days between games and playing without star player Greg Truvillion didn't seem to bother visiting Union University on Saturday, as the 19th-ranked Bulldogs held off a second half rally to beat Campbellsville University, 76-68, in the Powell Athletic Center.

Campbellsville out scored Union 20-14 in the first nine minutes of the second half to pull the game even, 54-54, but the Tigers failed to ever build a lead and stop the Bulldogs' offense.





"I'm absolutely disappointed," CU head coach Keith Adkins said. "We had a great week of practice. I thought conditioning was better than years past coming out of the break, but we just could not put it together today."

Union (9-4) built its lead to 18 points, 33-15, with six minutes to play in the first half. While Campbellsville managed to out-rebound and take more shots than the Bulldogs in the first half, the Tigers struggled to get defensive stops. Union shot 58 percent from the field in the first half and 67 percent from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes of the game to take a 40-34 halftime lead.

"We have to develop a little bit of a nasty attitude on defense. We're too soft. Our offensive rebounding was really good, but we failed to get the defensive rebounds on the few shots they missed," Adkins said. "I think some of our guys have a distorted view of what will get them playing time and what it takes to win in the Mid-South Conference. It's not just offense ... Hopefully we can develop that defensive attitude in the next week or so."

Union opened the second half on an 8-2 run to take a 12-point lead, 48-36, but the Tigers answered with their longest rally of the game, 20-7, to take its only lead of the game with 11 minutes to play, 56-55.

Nestor Colmenares rolled a low pass to JaVaughn Espritt on a fast break basket that tied the game, 54-54, with 11:25 to play and later swiped the ball from Union's Roland Banhoro to set up Shawn Savage's jumper that gave CU a 56-55 lead. However, Union managed to maintain its lead with good shooting from the free throw line and field in the final minutes. 

Colmenares finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, including seven off the offensive glass. He also led CU with four assists. Espritt, who impressed fans with a first-half dunk, kept to his average of 13 points in his third game wearing a Tiger uniform and had 10 rebounds. Joe Robinson chipped in 10 points and had one of CU's three 3-point baskets. The other two 3-pointers came from point guard T.J. Bishop, who finished with nine. Caleb Harris also scored nine points, all in the second half.

With the absence of Truvillion, who averages 19.8 points per game,  Tacuma Alexander and Banhoro led Union with 24 and 21 points, respectively. The duo usually combine for an average of 13.7 points per game. Stan McNeil added 10 points.

Campbellsville (11-4) will host Olivet Nazarene for a 2 p.m. game Jan. 9 in its final non-conference game before opening Mid-South Conference play Jan. 14 at home against No. 8 Pikeville College.


BOX SCORE



SHORT BOX

Jan 02, 2010

Union University TN vs. Campbellsville University

Union University TN (9-4 NAIA #19)
Tacuma Alexander 8-12 6-6 24, Roland Banhoro 9-12 3-4 21, Antoine Joseph 0-1 0-0 0, Keith Tolliver 3-5 2-2 8, Samuel Danache 2-5 3-4 7, Martez Hawkins 0-3 0-0 0, Alan North 2-3 0-0 6, Stan McNeil 4-7 1-1 10. Totals 28-48 15-17 76

Campbellsville University (11-4 NAIA #RV)
T.J. Bishop 3-6 1-2 9, Caleb Harris 4-5 1-1 9, Shawn Savage 1-3 0-0 2, Jordan Benock 0-3 0-0 0, Justin Vitatoe 0-0 2-2 2, Joe Robinson 4-10 1-2 10, Leon Hart 0-2 0-0 0, Brett Crittenden 1-5 0-0 2, Jonas Bohm 2-3 0-0 4, Nestor Colmenares 7-15 3-4 17, JaVaughn Espritt 5-16 3-5 13. Totals 27-68 11-16 68
 

SCORE BY PERIODS	1st	2nd	TOTAL
Union University TN	40	36	76
Campbellsville University	34	34	68

FG%: Union University TN .583, Campbellsville University .397. 3-pt FG:Union University TN 5-11 (Alexander 2-4, Danache 0-1, Hawkins 0-1, North 2-2, McNeil 1-3), Campbellsville University 3-11 (Bishop 2-4, Savage 0-2, Robinson 1-2, Crittenden 0-3). Rebounds: Union University TN 32 (Banhoro 8), Campbellsville University 41 (Espritt 10). Fouls Union University TN 18, Campbellsville University 14. Fouled out: none. Technical: none. Assists: Union University TN 12 (Danache 4), Campbellsville University 9 (Colmenares 4). Steals: Union University TN 6 (Alexander 2, Hawkins 2), Campbellsville University 6 (Bishop 2, Colmenares 2). Blocked shots: Union University TN 4 (Banhoro 2), Campbellsville University 3 (Espritt 2). Turnovers: Union University TN 14, Campbellsville University 14. Attendance: 200.