CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The Tigers scored two points in the final 7:46 – a pair of
Hagen Tyler free throws – and could not overcome a cold shooting performance, falling on Senior Day, 61-47.
The 47 points is the lowest since March 1, 2014 when Campbellsville totaled only 45 points at Bluefield College – also the regular season finale – falling in that game, 54-45.
In addition, Campbellsville's 15 total field goals in the lowest since Dec. 1, 2011 vs. Shawnee State University when the Tigers hit only 14 in a 50-42 loss.
Campbellsville will enter the Mid-South Conference Tournament as the seventh-seed and will play on Friday afternoon at the Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky. More information on seeding and game times will be announced tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 26. Follow CampbellsvilleTigers.com for complete details.
Even with the Tigers (15-14, 4-10 MSC) only scoring two points in the final 7:46, Life University (19-10, 12-2 MSC) scored five points and gave Campbellsville every chance to make a rally. Zach Landis scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed 21 rebounds for the Running Eagles.
Both teams hitting just two of their last 12 field goals but the Running Eagles didn't hit another in the final 4:02. CU finished missing its last nine shots.
On Senior Day, Rod Lawrence,
Elliott Young,
Erik Kinney and
Zach Perry combined for a total 24 points. Young, the lone four-year senior, scored 10 points and hit two Edward Jones 3-pointers to lead the group. Kinney finished with nine points and nine boards, while Lawrence dropped five points and compiled six rebounds. Perry failed to score.
Playing with a lot of adrenaline and excitement in the first six minutes, Campbellsville started the game with a 14-3 run and led by 11 with 14:25 on the clock. Lawrence and Young ignited the run with a pair of 3s to start but Campbellsville quickly went cold.
Life countered that with a 15-3 run and gained its first lead, 18-17, after Landis buried his first 3 of the day. Tyler hit a runner in the lane and pushed CU back in front, 22-21, with 7:12 left in the opening half but Landis scored another basket to put the Running Eagles ahead for good, 23-22.
Life ended the half on a big run, 13-4, to take a 36-26 lead at halftime.
Campbellsville whittled the lead to only seven points, 38-31, after
Jalen Coates buried his first 3 but Ivan Benkovich nailed a 3 to push the lead back to double-figures.
Kinney followed with a free throw cutting the lead to one, but Landis banged his third 3-pointer and gave Life a double-digit lead for good, 44-32.
The stat line was almost even from top to bottom but two things stood out in Life's favor. Free throw shooting haunted Campbellsville once again, as CU hit just 11-of-21 (52%) and Life hit more 3-pointers (12) than they did 2-point field goals (9). The Running Eagles finished hitting 12-of-35 (34%) from deep, while CU hit just 6-of-22 (27%).
With a 12-2 conference record, Life won the 2016-17 MSC regular season title and is the No. 1-seed going into the tournament next week. More information will be released on Sunday, Feb. 26.
