CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville University men's basketball team hosted the Pikeville Bears Saturday afternoon. The Tigers fell to Pikeville earlier in the year by five and were looking to best the Bears. Campbellsville won the Mid-South match-up 62-55. 
 
To begin the contest, Jarius Key dropped a three from the corner. A basket delivered by Keaston Brown and then another by Malachi De Sousa placed the Tigers seven points ahead of the Bears. Pikeville finally scored three and a half minutes in, but De Sousa answered with a slam dunk of his own. De Sousa capitalized off his takeaway for another dunk. Eight minutes in, Campbellsville had the Bears at a nine-point disadvantage. After a scoreless two minutes, De Sousa went to the rim with a layup to put his team at 17-7.  Jace Wallace's layup earned the Tigers their largest lead of the game of 12 points. Wallace returned in the next possession for another basket under the hoop. A last-second basket was solidified by Key for a halftime score of 32-21.
 
At the half, Campbellsville had only made a quarter of the three-pointers they had attempted versus the 44.4% that Pikeville had accomplished. However, the Tigers' overall field goal percentage was 8% better than that of the Bears. Pikeville had been forced into ten turnovers, six of which were direct steals from the Tigers. De Sousa led his team with eight points and Key followed with seven. Peyton Broughton accumulated four rebounds and Wallace trailed with three. 
 
The Bears started off the second half by clawing at the Tigers' score. A layup put in by De Sousa put the Tigers in another 12-point advantage above Pikeville. Ross Ryan supplanted the largest lead with his back-to-back baskets for the Tigers. Pikeville would cut the lead to eight-points within the next three and a half minutes. The Bears continued to inch back into the game and eventually the deficit was dwindled to just three. Sam Weining then made a layup that drew a foul, his points putting the Tigers ahead by six. Pikeville began to intentionally foul with a minute left of play to slow the clock and attempt to stymy the Tigers. However, it was not enough to stop Campbellsville. The Tigers won in a score of 62-55. 
 
The Tigers did not trail once throughout the game. Campbellsville shared the ball amongst themselves to collect a total of 18 assists compared to the eight that the Bears had earned. The Tigers also out-shot Pikeville with a 45.6% in field goals in comparison to the 36.4% of the Bears. De Sousa led his team with 16 points, Weining with 11 points, and Ryan with ten. Wallace and De Sousa tallied five rebounds apiece. 
 
The Tigers will next travel Highway 55 to face the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders. The men's team will begin their match at 9 p.m. ET.