CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – It was a defensive battle Saturday evening at the Connor Convocation Center as the Campbellsville University men's basketball team dropped their fourth-straight game to Thomas More University by a final of 52-46.
The Tigers shot 35.8 percent from the field with the Saints not much better at 37.8 percent as the teams combined to shoot 36-for-98 in the game that resulted in the low scoring affair.
CU's 46 points was their season low by 11 points and their 20-point second half was also a season low for points in the second half by 11 points.
Richie Mitchell led the Tigers in scoring with 14 points as Mitchell was the only player for CU in double figures.
Scoring droughts plagued Campbellsville in both halves as they went from the 12:07 mark to the 6:31 mark in the first half without a basket then a pair of scoreless timeframes in the second half that totaled over five minutes of action in the half.
The Tigers were able to make a bit of a run after their first half scoring drought to get back within five points at halftime when they outscored the Saints 17-10 over the last 6:31 of the half to make it a 31-26 score at the break.
The closest CU got to TMU in the second half was four points with 1:26 left when Mitchell went coast to coast off of a defensive rebound to make it a 50-46 game. Unfortunately, Campbellsville could not score from that point on as the Saints hit a pair of free throws to ice the game.
Despite only putting up four points,
Ronald Taylor was a big contributor on both ends of the floor, leading the team with eight rebounds all on the defensive end while also dishing out five assists in the game.
For Thomas More, Luke Rudy and Noah Pack led the scoring charge for the Saints as Rudy led all scorers with 17 and Pack added 10 points and eight rebounds. TMU went 7-for-22 (31.8%) from the field and 11-of-15 (73.3%) from the free throw line to hold significant advantages over CU in those areas.
The Tigers will get back to the Powell Athletic Center Thursday night as they start their second rotation through Mid-South Conference play when they host Life University for an 8 p.m. ET scheduled tip.
