PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – Strong 3-point shooting by Shawnee State University was hard to overcome Saturday, as Campbellsville University fell 80-65 in game two of a weekend road trip.

The Bears shot 44 percent from the 3-point arc against the top 3-point defense in the Mid-South Conference.

 

Campbellsville scored first on a jumper by Addison Smith and led for most of the first eight minutes of the game.

That's when the Bears began to hit from behind the arc. Jeremy Bennington hit the first of his five 3s in the game to give Shawnee State a 13-11 lead. The 3 sparked a 20-6 run to break double-figures for the first time in the game, 30-17.

Campbellsville managed to cut the deficit to seven, 33-26, at halftime with seven points from Chris Smith and a basket from Malik Thomas.

Thomas used an and-one play to open the second half and cut the deficit within two possessions, 33-29, but the Bears found began to hit from the arc again, going on a 15-4 run to take its largest lead yet at 15 points, 48-33. The lead grew to as many as 19 before Campbellsville chipped away to pull back within 10, 61-51, on a 3-pointer by Vernon Payne. Addison Smith had a chance to go back to single-digits, but hit 1-of-2 free throws, 64-54. From there, Shawnee posted a 12-5 run for a 15-point lead, 76-61.

Payne and Justin Ennis each scored 16 to lead Campbellsville, while Thomas posted his first career double-double as a Tiger with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Smith scored nine for the Tigers.

Bennington led Shawnee State with 25 points, while Tyler Morgan added 20 points. Ian Nixson and Trevor Banks had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Campbellsville (9-5, 3-5 MSC) will travel to Robert Morris University for a non-conference game Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST before returning home Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip against Bluefield College.
 

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