CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The 20^th all-time meeting between Campbellsville University and Cumberland University men's basketball went to the Bulldogs, 78-72, Saturday afternoon in Powell Athletic Center.

CU managed to overcome a 15-point deficit in the second half, but could not close the gap completely due to strong free throw shooting by Cumberland.

Brian Blackmon, Charles Stewart and Kenneth Stripling combined to hit 12-of-14 free throws in the final minute, as the Bulldogs finished the day hitting 19-of-23 (.826) from the line in the game.

Just like the game ended, it began at the free throw line.

It took the first five minutes or more for either team to get rolling offensively. Bryton Taylor gave CU its first lead of the night, going 1-for-2 from the charity stripe in the first minute, while Stripling had the same result a minute later for Cumberland. After Creshaun Holt hit a 3 for the first field goal of the game, Taylor immediately answered with a 3 for the Tigers to even the score, 4-4.

CU's first two baskets came on 3-pointers from Bryton Taylor and Sean Scott, the latter gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead with 14 minutes left in the first half. But Cumberland quickly answered with a basket by Elijah Gillis and never relinquished its lead.

The Bulldogs pulled away in the first half with strong 3-point shooting by E.J. Perry, and Lester Gude. Cumberland hit four of its first five from beyond the arc and went on to hit 9-of-18 in the game.

Cumberland's largest lead of the first half was six points, but Jordan Myers had a basket with a minute left to cut the difference to 29-25 at halftime.

Campbellsville worked the game to within a two-point margin four times in the first five minutes of the second half, but the Bulldogs posted a quick 11-3 run to stretch the margin to double figures for the first time, 51-39 with 9:26 remaining. The 12-point difference was the largest of the game.

Myers hit a 3-pointer with 3:05 to play, followed by two free throws by Scott to shave the Bulldogs' lead to five, 64-59. Campbellsville managed to keep the difference at five points as it approached the final minute and starting fouling. Cumberland's free throw percentage did the rest.

With leading scorer Justin Ennis not playing in the game, Addison Smith led Campbellsville with 15 points, followed by 13 from Scott and 10 by Vernon Payne.

Stewart, who was 11-of-12 from the line, led Cumberland with 15 points, while Holt shot 6-of-8 from the floor to finish with 14 points. Daniel McFadden and Blackmon each had 12, while Perry scored 11.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Cumberland (7-11, 3-7 MSC), while Campbellsville falls to (11-7, 5-5 MSC) to close the first half of the Mid-South Conference schedule.

For the Tigers, the loss marks the first time in program history that Campbellsville's men's and women's basketball programs were swept by Cumberland University.

Campbellsville will travel to Bluefield College (Va.) on Thursday, Jan. 24 to start the second half of the MSC schedule in a tie for sixth place in the conference standings. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on WLCU 88.7 FM.