CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Each team produced a player with a career-best performance from 3-point range, but Campbellsville University was unable to pull past No. 13 Georgetown College Thursday night, falling 91-87 in Powell Athletic Center.
 

CU freshman Miles Rice made a season-best seven 3-pointers to finish with 21 points, while Russ Middleton had a career-high six 3s and 27 points to lead Georgetown. Campbellsville and Georgetown combined for 27 3-point baskets in the game in what turned out to be the highest-scoring matchup between the two teams in more than a decade.

"It all comes down to defense," said CU coach Keith Adkins. "We're not going to be the type of team that wins shootouts. We're not built that way. When you try to win shootouts in the 90s or 100s like we did against Life, you leave yourself a small margin for error on the offensive end … We have to be better defensively. We can't give up 91 points and expect to beat good teams."

Campbellsville led three times in the first half. The last time, 30-28, came with 5:55 before the break. However, Georgetown used a 13-5 run to go up by six, 41-35, on a pair of Monty Wilson free throws and led 46-40 at halftime after Darius Clement and Wilson knocked down back-to-back 3s for CU and GC, respectively.

The defending NAIA champs stretched their lead to nine points, 56-47, in the first four minutes of the second half. CU pulled within a possession, 58-56, on an offensive put back by DeMarcus Page, and eventually cut it to a point, 61-60, on a basket by Eric Gaines. However, Georgetown responded with a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the night, 70-60, with 8:05 to play.

With five minutes remaining, and trailing by seven, Rice hit his first of a series of 3s to pull with four points, 73-69. Clement followed with a 3 and it was a two-point game, but CU was unable to get the stop it needed as Rice popped three more 3s late to set his career-high total.

Rice's final 3 of the night pulled CU within two, 84-82, with 1:31 to play.

"Give Miles credit. He had a good game and shot the ball well in the second half, but his 3-point percentage is overshadowed of his lack of shooting overall. Miles has to get to the point where he has an in-between game. That's the toughest thing for young kids to learn," Adkins said. "He banged his 3s but we have to get him to the point where he's getting to the rim and finishing and making some of those in-betweeners."

The story was similar most of the night for CU, which shot 42.4 percent (14-of-33) from 3-point range but only 35 percent (17-of-48) inside the arc. Both teams were also plagued from the free throw line, as Georgetown shot 60.6 percent (20-of-33) from the line and Campbellsville shot 64.7 percent (11-of-17).

CU was unable to close the gap after Rice's last 3 due to increased free throw opportunities for Georgetown. The visiting Tigers knocked down 7-of-9 free throws down the stretch, five by Wilson, who finished with 18 points, along with 18 from Noah Cottrill.

Gaines led CU with 23 points, including 15 in the second half. Clement finished with 14 points and seven assists, while Quin Richardson had 11 points off the bench.

Deondre McWhorter led both teams with 13 rebounds, including 12 on defense. He also had four blocks.
 

Campbellsville (6-7, 1-4 MSC) will return home Saturday, Jan. 11 to host University of the Cumberlands at 4 p.m. in a Mid-South Conference game, while Georgetown travels to No. 23 St. Catharine College.
 
"We just have to gather ourselves. I think Saturday is completely dependent on our frame of mind," said Adkins of the quick turnaround. "If we come back with a good attitude and ready to prepare, then I like our chances. If we come back salty and feeling sorry for ourselves, then I think it will be tough."