In a league where coaches are happy with their next one-game winning streak, Campbellsville University has put together an improbable four-game streak against some of the league's best to hold down first place in the Mid-South Conference with an 8-2 (20-6) record.

The latest victim is the University of Rio Grande which the Tigers dispatched 77-57 Saturday evening in Ohio. It was the seventh win in the Tigers' last eight games, a 56-53 blemish to St. Catharine being the only loss in the Tigers' last five conference games.




But the Tigers had to overcome a slow start and rallied from a 10-point first-half deficit to lead 32-22 at intermission. JaVaughn Espritt came off the bench to spark the comeback, scoring seven points and pulling down double-digit rebounds (10) in seven minutes of action.

"Give our guys credit," said coach Keith Adkins, "We overcame a slow start. It was a good effort for us after the emotional win at Pikeville."

After another slow beginning at the start of the second half, the Tigers were able to hold off a couple of Rio advances. CU built an 11-point lead only to see it dwindle to seven with 15:25 left in the game. T.J. Bishop hit a 3, Espritt a layup, and Jordan Benock two free throws, a 3 and a dunk. By the time Nestor Colmenares hit a layup the Tigers were up 56-34. During that four-minute span, CU outscored Rio, 20-4.

Campbellsville shot 52 percent from the field as opposed to 36.5 for Rio (5-12, 0-10). The Tigers hit 5-of-9 free throws.

Colmenares led one other Campbellsville player into double figures with 20. Benock scored all of his 12 points in the second half. The Tigers were dead on from behind the arc, hitting at a 47 percent clip (10-of-21). The Tigers dominated the boards 44-22.

The win was the 190th for Adkins and gives him a 190-130 mark, 56-29 MSC. The win also gave Adkins his fifth 20-win season, and fourth in the past five seasons.

Campbellsville returns home for a Thursday matchup with Lindsey Wilson before hitting the road again Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup at St. Catharine.


PHOTO GALLERY


Scoring

Campbellsville (77) - Bishop 9, Harris 4, Savage 3, Benock 12, Vitatoe 9, Hart 4, Crittenden 3, Espritt 9, Bohn 4, and Colmenares 20.


Rio Grande (57) - P.J. Rase 11, Campbell 5, Harris 9, Bates 3, Jones 2, Teer 15, Cubbie ,2 and Gunnell 3.