CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Basketball in Campbellsville will officially be back on Friday as the Tigers host Ohio State (Mansfield) at 7 p.m. ET to open the 2019-2020 season.
 
This game will be broadcasted live on the CU Sports Network as Matt Payton and Benji Kellywill be on the call. Fans can watch online at CampbellsvilleTigers.com/watch or stream the game on the Roku and Apple TV apps on their televisions.
 
A NEW LINE OF TIGERS

• As Campbellsville returns to action, they do so behind Jacob King, Ronald Taylor, Nolan Barrow, and Sam Weining being the only players to suit up for CU last season.
• After losing four of their five starters, the Tigers look to start anew this season.
• Campbellsville built their roster by tracking in seven transfers, while also adding three freshmen.
• With four seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, and three freshmen, the Tigers seek to be able to utilize their depth this season after relying heavily on their starting five in 2018-19.
• While the Tigers do not have a big presence to match the size of the 6-10 Andrew Smith, Alston Davis, Lenorris Mincey, Justin Tucker, and De'Undra Singleton provide some depth and athleticism to the forward position.
• Campbellsville is also poised to a deep guard rotation as King, Weining, and Taylor help make up the tandem, with Devaunte Robinson, Kevin Kangni, Max Reyes, Taiveyhon Mason, David Simmons, and Richie Mitchell all with possibilities to play a major impact this season.

 
SCOUTING OHIO STATE (MANSFIELD)

• OSU-Mansfield will also be opening their 2019-2020 season when they visit the Powell Athletic Center on Friday.
• The Mavericks are coached by Don Nelson, as they play in the Ohio Regional Campus Conference that consists of regional campuses from NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA teams.
• OSU-Mansfield puts together a young roster as three sophomores and nine freshmen make up their roster.

 
TIGERS RANK 21^STENTERING THE YEAR

• As the NAIA released its Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday, Campbellsville earned 76 voting points to be ranked 21^stoverall in the poll.
• CU was given this ranking after a 22-10 record and an appearance at the NAIA National Tournament had them ending last season in the receiving votes category of the poll.
• The Tigers will seek to continue to move up the rankings with a hot start to the season, after an 11-0 start last year propelled them as high as fifth in the poll.

 
POWELL IS THE PLACE TO BE

• Friday's game will be the first of a four-game set for Campbellsville to open the season at home.
• On the season, the Powell Athletic Center will host 17 games for the Tigers, where head coach Brent Vernon has found tremendous success.
• Throughout his tenure, the Tigers have boasted a 34-11 home record, including a 14-2 record at home last season.

 
DEPTH OF THE MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE

• After a 7-7 conference record last season, the Tigers were selected to finish fourth in the Mid-South Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll.
• Campbellsville was also selected as the fourth Mid-South Conference team in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Poll as the conference featured five teams mentioned in the poll.
• Following a national championship last season, Georgetown enters the year earning the overall spot in the national poll, closely followed by Pikeville who was ranked fifth.
• The University of the Cumberlands was also mentioned ahead of Campbellsville in the poll as they earned the 16^thspot in the rankings.
• Trailing Campbellsville in the poll is Life University who sits outside of the rankings in the receiving votes category.

 
CU SPORTS NETWORK

• All Tiger home games will be streamed on the CU Sports Network on campbellsvilletigers.com, as well as the home Mid-South Conference games scheduled to be aired on WLCU-TV.
• Campbellsvilletigers.com allows anyone not able to make it to the Powell Athletic Center for home games to view games for free.

 
MSC ACTION THUS FAR THIS SEASON

• Shawnee State and the University of the Cumberlands have been the lone MSC teams to open their 2019-2020 seasons prior to Campbellsville's opener on Friday.
• The Bears have played twice defeating Puerto Rico-Bayamon 96-56, and the University of Maine at Fort Kent 92-54.
• The Patriots recorded their first win as they hosted Bryan College and won 77-70.
• Lindsey Wilson and Georgetown will be opening their seasons this weekend as Lindsey Wilson hosts Ohio State (Mansfield) on Saturday and Georgetown visits the University of Kentucky on Sunday.

 
UPCOMING FOR CAMPBELLSVILLE

• Friday's season opener will be the first of four home games for the Tigers.
• Campbellsville will return home on Saturday, Nov. 2^nd to play Lindenwood University-Belleville at 1 p.m. ET.
• Following that game, the Tigers will play host to the MSC/Southern States Challenge where they will meet up with Stillman College on Nov. 8^th at 7 p.m. ET and Dalton State College on Nov. 9^th at 1 p.m. ET.