CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Sekou Harris scored 24 points with 10 of those coming in overtime and Shawn Johnson added a career-high 16 to push Campbellsville men's basketball past No. 17 Martin Methodist College, 93-88.
BOX SCORE
With Campbellsville (9-4, 1-3 MSC) leading by nine at halftime, Martin Methodist (7-4, 1-1 SSAC) lit up the stat sheet to open up the second half. The RedHawks went on a 17-10 run to start the half and cut the lead to three points, 61-57 after blistering the nets by hitting 10 of their first 14 attempts.
Hagen Tyler knocked down a pair of free throws with 9:23 remaining, but the Tigers would go ice cold for the next five-plus minutes. Martin Methodist took advantage and with 7:44 remaining, the RedHawks took their first lead since the opening half, 67-66.
Darius Forrest helped MMC extend its lead to five, 71-66 by scoring six-straight points, capping off a 17-6 run. Forrest scored 14 of his team-high 22 points in the second half of regulation.
Since the Tyler free throws, CU did not score again until Harris hit a pair of freebies with 4:00 on the clock and the Tigers trailing by five.
The RedHawks' lead would remain at five, 73-68 with 2:30 remaining but Harris drilled his second 3-pointer and Dii'jon Allen-Jordan scored six-straight CU points – bringing the house down with two ferocious fast break dunks and a pair of free throws - to tie the game for the seventh time at 77 with 12 seconds left.
Martin Methodist's Forrest had a good look at the game-winner from 18-feet but missed. Then Campbellsville's Tyler missed a desperation 3 with 0.7 seconds left to send the Tigers into their first overtime game of the season.
In the overtime period, Harris sparked the Tigers with his third 3-pointer with 2:51 on the clock to uncork the tie for the final time, giving Campbellsville an 84-81 lead. Harris scored 10 points in OT – four of those from the free throw line - to help the Tigers withstand a late Martin Methodist comeback.
Even though Martin Methodist outshot Campbellsville (46 percent to 42 percent), the Tigers hit 13-of-15 free throws in the second half and overtime period to prevail.
CU also scored 40 bench points compared to the RedHawks's 21 with 16 of those coming from Johnson. Elliott Young pitched in 11 and Zach Perry scored nine - all from 3-point land.
Campbellsville also out-rebounded the RedHawks, 48-39. Allen-Jordan finished with 13 to record his NAIA leading seventh double-double. The sophomore Johnson added 11 rebounds for his first double-double in his Tiger career. Also, Ron Scott dished out 11 assists in the CU win.
Forrest finished with 16 second half points but was held to two in the OT period for Martin Methodist.
The Tiger will remain home for three more games before the Christmas break. CU will host Philander Smith College on Tuesday, Dec. 15, Asbury University on Friday, Dec. 18 and Truett-McConnell College on Saturday, Dec. 19. All game times are scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Powell Athletic Center and fans can tune in on the CU Sports Network.
