CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.- The Tigers hosted rival Mid-South Conference team the Eagles of Life University at Powell Athletic Center Saturday afternoon. Campbellsville fell to Life 69-65 and 2-7 in MSC play.
To begin the first half, both teams were unable to score within the first few possessions. Campbellsville was working against a full-court press to bring the ball across.
Jarius Key was the first Tiger awarded two charity shots. After making one of two, Key received an in-bounds pass for another bucket.
Jace Wallace followed his teammate's momentum by finishing his steal with a dunk. After trailing the Eagles by four, a three from
Darius Harding brought the Tigers to a one-point trail.
Peyton Broughton's jumper evened the score at 18-18 and his free throw put the Tigers on top of Life. The Eagles were able to scratch back, but another bucket from Broughton, this time from the arc, gave Campbellsville a two-point lead. With 3:28 left of the first, Harding appeared at the free throw line for one and a bonus. Harding's two baskets evened the score for the Tigers. A bucket in the low post from
Ross Ryan put Campbellsville in the lead again. With thirty seconds left to play, Broughton put Campbellsville in the lead by two points. However, the Eagles hit a buzzer-beater jumper to tie the game 30-30.
At the half, Campbellsville lacked in the free throw attempts and percentage as they had hit four of seven attempts. The Tigers moved the ball around more than Life for a total of seven assists to the opponent's four. Broughton led with 12 points and Ryan followed with six. Harding totaled four rebounds and Key trailed with three.
Into the second half, Life quickly accomplished a three-point lead. A charge call for
Cameron Carmical turned over possession in the Tigers' favor. Harding followed through with a basket to decrease the shortfall to one. In the next possession, Wallace went to the paint to earn himself a basket and a foul. After his shot, Wallace evened the score at 36-36. Broughton appeared at the stripe to shoot 2-2 for the Tigers to be down by one yet again. Not long after,
Keaston Brown put his team at a one-point advantage with a go-ahead layup. Carmical picked the ball away from the Eagles for Harding to follow through with a dunk. Carmical stole the ball again in the next possession for another layup allowing the Tigers to lead by five. A bucket in the post from Life put the Tigers back down by one. Eventually down by three, a shot from the perimeter by Carmical landed the Tigers back at 54-54. In the closing moments trailing Life, Harding pulled up with a deep three to propel the Tigers to the top. The Eagles would pull away by three again, but Harding sunk another bucket from the arc to even the score. A layup by Wallace put Life trailing by two points with 1:30 to go. However, Life would again surpass Campbellsville. With thirty seconds left of play, Life appeared at the charity line to ensure a two-point lead above the Tigers. The match ended 69-65 in the Eagles' favor.
The Tigers fell short to Life in several aspects including field goal percentage, free throws, rebounds, and steals. Life racked up 36 total rebounds compared to the 26 that Campbellsville accumulated. Harding finished the night with 20 points, Broughton with 17, Wallace and Carmical followed with seven. Key and Harding shared six rebounds apiece and Wallace trailed with four.
The Tigers return to the floor Monday night for a Mid-South Conference contest against University of Tennessee Southern. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET.
