CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Tiger basketball improved their record to 10-4 overall and won their 23rd-straight home game tonight, knocking off Philander Smith College, 109-95.
BOX SCORE
After trailing 16-8 with just under four minutes gone in the game, Campbellsville men's basketball lit a match and got hot. The Tigers went on a 46-20 run to take its largest lead of the first half, 54-36 with 3:48 left.
During that stretch, CU hit 17-of-21 shots and 10-straight field goals at one time.
After not hitting a 3-pointer in the previous two games, Hagen Tyler struck while the iron was hot and knocked down three-straight triples and scored 11-straight CU points en route to finishing with 15 during the big run. Tyler finished the night with a new career-high 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting and 7-of-13 from behind the arc. The 34 points is the most scored in a game since freshman Miles Rice pitched in 41 on the road at University of Rio Grande in a triple overtime loss on Jan. 18, 2014.
Also, during that run, Dii'jon Allen-Jordan scored eight points to help reach his new career-high of 29 points. Allen-Jordan also set a new mark with 13 rebounds for his NAIA-leading seventh double-double.
From the 15:10 mark on in the first half, CU would hit 20-of-26 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. The Tigers finished the opening half scorching the nets at a 60.5 percent clip.
Philander Smith would work that lead down to 11 points at halftime, 62-51 by going on a 15-8 run to end the first half. Ronald March led the Panthers with 20 points in the opening half, as Philander Smith shot 47.6 percent (20-of-42).
The second half was filled with multiple runs. Campbellsville pushed its lead to 20 with 15:56 remaining after Shawn Johnson made the back-end of two free throws. Then CU hit a cold streak, missing seven-straight shots and Philander Smith climbed back into the game by doubling up the Tigers with a 28-14 run and working the lead to six points, 94-88 with 6:32 left.
That was as close as Philander Smith would get, though. After the final media timeout, CU ended the game on a 15-7 run to win its second-straight game.
The Tigers cooled off in the second half, only hitting 50 percent (16-of-32). CU finished the game hitting 55.7 percent from the floor and 42 percent from behind the 3-point line. Philander Smith hit 47 percent from the floor and 33 percent from the arc.
CU has a dynamic duo in the back-court when it comes to getting others involved and taking care of the basketball. Coming into tonight's contest Sekou Harris and Ron Scott ranked No. 7 and No. 10, respectively, in total assists this season and out of the 39 made fields goals for the Tigers tonight, the duo recorded 19 of the new season-high 26 CU assists.
Harris eclipsed his career-high with 10 assists, while also scoring 11 points for his first double-double in the maroon and grey. Harris was sniffing a little triple-double action but settled with seven rebounds. Ron Scott pitched in the other nine assists and scored eight points. The duo also only turned the ball over four times.
Campbellsville remains home for two non-conference games before the Christmas break. CU will host Asbury University on Friday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game live on the Campbellsville University Sports Network (Comcast Channel 10) and online at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/camp/. Also, the game will be live on the radio, www.wlcufm.com
