Box Score COLUMBIA, Ky. --- Campbellsville University head coach Keith Adkins believes if he can hold a team to 65 points in 40 minutes of basketball, he has a chance to win. Campbellsville did just that Monday, but had to rely on overtime to down Lindsey Wilson College, 69-61, on the road.
"I thought it was a great team win. I challenged the guys at halftime, but I kind of left it up to them. There's times I challenge their manhood, but tonight I didn't. I told them, 'This isn't about my Xs and Os. This is about you guys and what you want out of this,' Adkins said. "They responded. To stay in the hunt we had to have this one, and we'll see where it takes us."
The win completes a CU men's and women's Monday night sweep over its local rival on the road for the second straight year, as the fourth-ranked Lady Tigers blew past No. 12 Lindsey Wilson, 86-58, earlier in the night. It's the first back-to-back season road sweep for CU in the rivalry since January 2001 and January 2002.
Campbellsville looked to build off the Lady Tigers' momentum early, jumping out to a 5-0, and then 8-3, lead. However Lindsey Wilson flipped the margin with a 13-2 run to go up 15-10. But neither team let up, as the Blue Raiders held together for a seven-point halftime lead, 30-23.
The Tigers battled back in the second half to tie the game, 40-40, with 11:15 remaining on a 3-pointer by
Shawn Savage. Campbellsville-native Chase Cox responded for the Blue Raiders to maintain a small advantage, 43-40, with the home team's first 3 of the night. Cox finished with seven against his hometown university.
Lindsey Wilson maintained an advantage the rest of regulation, leading by as many as seven, 55-48, in the closing minutes of regulation. Campbellsville whittled away the difference late, cutting the game to a possession, 55-52, on a pair of
Reggie Smith free throws with two minutes to play, and then again, 57-55, on a Smith 3-pointer. Savage hit a layup with 52 seconds to play to even the score. Smith led all scorers with 16 points in the game.
The Blue Raiders received two chances at a go-ahead basket, but failed to convert as they worked the clock down to 21 seconds before drawing a foul under the basket, and then came up short on a Brandon Clemmons 3 with one second remaining.
In overtime, it was all Campbellsville. Savage signaled the exit for Blue Raider fans as he drained a 3-pointer to give CU a 67-57 overtime lead with 51 seconds to play. From there, it was a free throw here, and a free throw there to close out the scoring. Savage finished with 15 points.
Campbellsville (13-9, 6-5) will return home to Powell Athletic Center on Thursday to host University of Rio Grande at 8 p.m. The Tigers are now tied with Lindsey Wilson (15-7, 6-5) for fifth in the Mid-South Conference standings and are two games out of second-place with seven games left on the schedule.
STAT SUMMARY
Lindsey Wilson (61) - Barker 10, Clemons 8, Archie 8, Alexander 8, Spreen 8, Ballou 7, Cox 7, Diebler 3, Thomas 2. Totals 21-59 17-21 61.
Tigers (69) - Smith 16, Savage 15, Espritt 13, Harris 10, Whelan 8, Crittenden 7. Totals 23-54 13-25 69.
Half-time - Lindsey Wilson 30-23.
Three-point goals - Lindsey Wilson 2-21, Campbellsville 10-22 (Smith 4, Savage 3, Whelan 2).
Rebounds - Lindsey Wilson 40 (Clemons 6, Baker 6), Campbellsville 40 (Espritt 12, Harris 9, Smith 5).
Assists - Lindsey Wilson 14 (Archie 8), Campbellsville 10 (Harris 4, Espritt 3, Savage 2).
Steals - Lindsey Wilson 12 (Archie 4), Campbellsville 6 (Whelan 2).
Blocked shots - Lindsey Wilson 4, Campbellsville 2.