SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Campbellsville University men's basketball extended its early season record to 3-0 after another NAIA Top 20 victory. The No. 19 Tigers took down No. 20 Evangel (Mo.), 80-70, Thursday night.

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"Traveling to Evangel is a long trip and they are a really good basketball team," said 15-year head coach Keith Adkins. "It seems that they are always in the NAIA Tournament at season's end and hardly ever lose at home. This is a big time quality win for us."

It was a game of runs for both Evangel and Campbellsville, as the Crusaders jumped out to a 10-4 lead. But the Tigers went on an 18-6 run to take a 24-16 lead with 7:28 left in the first half.

Eric Gaines, who played in his first game of the season due to injury, sparked the Tigers during that run with back-to-back buckets off the bench.

D'Von Campbell, a senor from Arlington, Texas, would not let his teammate out due him. In a span of three minutes, Campbell knocked down three 3-pointers leading the Tigers in the first half with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 4-of-5 from downtown.

But with 2:28 left, Campbellsville took its biggest lead by way of Quin Richardson. The sophomore from Georgetown, Ky., scored his only points of the game, hitting a 3-pointer to give CU a 16-point lead 42-26.

The Tigers went ice cold from the floor after that and ended the first half scoreless in the final 2:28. Evangel was able to go on a 9-0 run before the break getting the score back to single-digits, 42-35.

"We lost our focus late in the first half," said Adkins. "We got away from what was working and successful. A turnover here and a bad shot there turns into defensive lapse and there you have it. Moving forward we cannot do that. We have to stay with what got us the lead and push forward."

CU picked up a spark after the intermission from one of its dark horses, Elliott Young. Young scored the first five points of the half on a 15-foot jumper and a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the TIgers the momentum back, and a double-digit lead, 47-36.

Campbellsville led by double figures until 7:24 left, as Evangel cut the Tigers' lead to 65-58 on a 3-point basket.

Adkins called his first timeout of the game and decided to change his up-tempo game plan. The Tigers started to run more offensive sets instead of their up-tempo, run-and-gun pace of game.

"We wanted to finish with a more diliberate offense," said Adkins. "We were taking bad shots that we could get at any point in the shot clock. With the clock getting low, and the lead in our favor, we wanted to make them defend a little longer and run time off."

Campbellsville worked its lead back to double figures on a cross-court bounce pass from Campbell to Young. Young's layup finished him with 11 points and put the Tigers up 10 with just under four minutes to play.

The Crusaders didn't go away late but the Tigers knocked down timely free throws late to seal the deal.

Campbell hit 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final two minutes and was 7-of-8 from the line in the game. Miles Rice also pitched in, making 3-of-4 free throws late. Rice finished with eight points and seven rebounds.

CU, as a team, shot 19-of-24 (79.2%) from the line, which was the difference in the game.

"You have to make free throws," said Adkins. "Especially in crucial, late game situations. When you do that, the worst thing that can happen is trading baskets back and fourth. And with a double-digit lead like we had tonight, that is ok."

Campbell led the Tigers by tying his collegiate career-high, 24 points. He was also one rebound away from his first double-double as a Tiger, picking up nine boards and also dishing out five assists.

Damontre Harris was behind Campbell, scoring in double-digits for the first time as a Tiger with 15 points and seven rebounds. Young finished with 11 and Gaines finished with 10 points in his season debut.

The Tigers will return home to host Miami University Middletown on Saturday, Nov. 8. Tipoff is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., following the Lady Tigers' matchup with the Thunderhawks.

Live video will be available and radio on 88.7 The Tiger will be available following the CU Tiger Football game.