CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Facing their highest ranked opponent of the 2019-20 season, the Campbellsville University men's basketball upset the No. 4 team in the NAIA Coaches' Poll University of Pikeville 72-66 Thursday night at the Powell Athletic Center.
 
The Tigers and Bears traded punches throughout the game with the game having four lead changes and being tied nine times. The last time the game was tied at 63-63 between the 2:22 and 1:20 marks before Ronald Taylor grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a put back layup through contact to make it 65-63.
 
CU finished the game on a 7-2 run behind a layup from Taiveyhon Mason, three free throws from Richie Mitchell, then two more free throws from Mason. Before drawing those free throws, Mason stole the ball in the back court after a missed free throw from Mitchell that UPike rebounded.
 
Mason was once again a star for the Tigers finishing with a game-high 22 points while adding eight assists, six rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot. Mason went 7-for-18 (38.9%) from the field but 6-for-8 (75%) from the free throw line including the late clutch free throws.
 
The Tigers had multiple 10-point leads throughout the game with their latest double-digit lead coming at the 7:18 mark of the second half before Pikeville came back with an 11-1 run to tie the score at 59-59.
 
Campbellsville never gave up the lead from that point as they took two different two-point leads behind baskets from Mason and Jacob King but the Bears were able to tie the game both of those occasions before CU finally took that 65-63 lead that they never relinquished.
 
Mitchell and Taylor were each in double figures for the Tigers as Mitchell had 14 and Taylor finished with 13 points and five rebounds. Mitchell scored four of his 14 as the first two baskets of the game as CU jumped out to a hot start with a 7-0 run to eventually hold their other 10-point lead at 14-4.
 
After the hot start for Campbellsville in the first half, the Bears chipped away to eventually lead at halftime at 33-31. Pikeville's leading scorer was Jordan Perry as he finished with 17 points, eight in the first half, to help give UPike that first half lead and keep the Bears alive in the second half.
 
Pikeville also got double figures from Korbin Spencer and Da'Rell Domineck as Spencer as Spencer chipped in 14 points with Domineck adding 12 as a steady and sometimes dominant force down low.
 
The Tigers will be back in the Powell Athletic Center on Saturday when they host Shawnee State University with a 4 p.m. tip.