PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A buzzer-beat effort was off the mark Saturday, as Campbellsville University fell, 77-75, at No. 17 University of Pikeville in the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center.

The Tigers were close to playing the role of Senior Day spoiler as they worked to cut the difference to a point in the final seconds. After a 1-for-2 effort from the free throw line by Josh Whitaker, Justin Ennis attempted a 3 at the horn, but was unable to get it to fall.

It was the fourth-straight meeting between the two teams, where the game came down to the final shot. Jordan Myers hit a late 3 at home in November to help the Tigers knockoff a Top 5 Pikeville team.

"We've had a hard time squeaking them out here, but we usually come in here and play pretty well. We played well enough to win. We just don't get a break here and there," said CU head coach Keith Adkins. "I thought our best way to win this game was with a 3 right there. I'll take a shot from Justin Ennis to win any day … If it'd gone back to Jordan (Myers), make or miss, I'd say the same thing. We had four guys on the floor that gave us a chance (from 3)."

Adkins' Tigers became only the fifth team to hold Pikeville in the 70s this season, as the Bears struggled from 3-point range and at the charity stripe in the second half.

"Our goal was below 75 for them," Adkins said. "I told our guys, 'If they're at 74 or lower, we win.' Low and behold we get 75, but they got 77."

CU kept the Bears' lead to within a possession or two for the first nine minutes of play. During that stretch, UPike's largest lead was six, 11-5 and 16-10, after two of the Bears' three 3-pointers in the half. The Tigers responded with a 7-0 run to take a 17-16 lead after Vernon Payne blocked a Whitaker layup and Darius Clement hit a 3 on the other end with 10:50 to play in the opening half.

Pikeville went on a 17-5 run though to take a 33-22 lead with 3:45 til halftime. CU worked the margin back within six at halftime, 41-35.

The Tigers out scored the Bears 15-8 to start the second half, as Ennis gave CU its second lead of the game, 50-49, with 13:53 to play. The lead swapped hands over the next six minutes before Pikeville scored seven straight, capped by Trevor Setty's only 3-pointer in the game.

Malik Thomas and Payne scored back-to-back buckets off turnovers to pull CU within a point, 69-68, with 3:30 to play. The score remained the same until the Tigers put Setty on the line with 1:32 left. The senior knocked down both freebies, followed later by two from Jamar Briscoe. The duo did the same in the final 30 seconds to keep Pikeville in front.

Setty led all players with 24 points, including a 9-for-9 day at the line. He was 7-of-11 from the floor, but 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

Thomas led the Tigers with 20 points, matching his career-high effort from November 2011. Ennis finished with 16 points, while Addison Smith and Sean Scott had 11 and 10, respectively. Vernon Payne just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Campbellsville (17-10, 10-7 MSC) remains in fifth place in the Mid-South Conference standings, but still only games back of a two-way tie for second between UPike and No. 13 Georgetown College. CU will host Georgetown on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. EST in game one of a three-game, five-day stretch.