COLUMBIA, Ky. — Campbellsville dug itself a first-half hole too deep to climb out of and lost today to Washington Adventist, 77-62, in the Lindsey Wilson College Basketball Christmas Classic in the Biggers Sports Center.
 
Adventist (12-0) went on an 18-4 run midway through the first half and erased a 19-15 CU lead, flipping it to a 33-23 deficit from which CU never recovered.
 
CU (7-5, 1-1 MSC) closed to within eight, 36-28, with about five minutes to go in the opening 20 minutes, but scored only two more points the rest of the way and trailed at the intermission, 45-30.
 
The Tigers were able to whittle away at that lead and trailed by only three, 52-49, with 11 minutes remaining in the game, but the Shock's Tyrus Fleetwood squelched the momentum with 19 second-half points and was one off a career high with 25 to lead all scorers.
 
Antonio Chapman and Shawn Johnson led the early comeback in the second half. Chapman scored CU's first seven points of the second half and Johnson drained two 3s, setting a career-high.
 
The Tigers were out-rebounded 48-35 and that may have ultimately been the difference. Washington Adventist had 40 points in the paint and beat CU by 14 in that statistical category.
 
Campbellsville, which started hot, cooled considerably. Elliott Young had 10 early points on 2-of-4 shooting from 3, and had 12 at the break. He ended up with 15 to lead the Tigers. Rod Lawrence joined him in double figures with 11
 
Down the first-half stretch CU missed two free throws three times and ended up 2-for-9 from the charity stripe after 20 minutes. The Tigers shot it a little better from the line in the second half, ending up 9-for-18.
 
The Shock's Brian Bridgeforth, who averages 20 points game, ended the first half with 14 and 20 for the game. He was joined in double figures by Eric Lindsey with 14 and Elliott Meredith's 11.
 
Calvin Lovitt's 3 as time expired in the first half put Campbellsville in the hole by 15 at intermission, 45-30.
 
CU hit 34 percent of its first-half shots to Washington's 55 percent, 43 percent from 3 in the first half. Campbellsville shot 32 percent for the game and 29 percent from 3.
 
Campbellsville will play Kentucky Christian University Friday, Dec. 17 at 5:00 in the second game of the two-day Classic. Matt Payton will have the call on 887 The Tiger starting at 4:45 p.m. ET. 
 
Fans can follow the Tigers throughout the year on Twitter @CvilleTigers and @CvilleTigersMBB. Also on Facebook – Campbellsville Tigers and online at www.CampbellsvilleTigers.com.