WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. - The Tigers had a quick turnaround back to the University of the Cumberlands Patriots on Tuesday night for the 2023 Mid-South Conference Tournament Opening Round. Campbellsville defeated the Patriots 71-55 with tremendous defense as well as Jace Wallace and Jay Milburn's double-doubles.
Campbellsville and the Cumberlands met twice this season, both occasions in which the Tigers fell to the Patriots. In their first match-up, the Tigers came within two points of the Patriots. They went 26-of-56 from the field (46.4%) and 4-of-16 from the three-point line (25%), while the Patriots went 26-of-63 from the field (41.3%) and 9-of-29 from the three-point line (31%). In the last regular season game of both teams' seasons, Campbellsville saw an 18-point deficit below the Cumberlands. The Tigers went 26-of-58 from the field (44.8%) and 1-of-13 from the three-point line (7.7%), while the Patriots went 29-of-57 from the field (50.9%) and 12-of-23 from the three-point line (52.5%).
In the game's opening seconds, Javaughn Smith scored the first bucket with a three-point jump shot. Shortly after, Malik Muhammad scored two baskets with stellar paint play. A few minutes went by without any shots from the Patriots because of the stout defense from the Tigers. Midway through the half, Campbellsville maintained the lead and control. Milburn saw his first points after shooting a three-point jump shot. Wallace stood at the free throw line, going two for two. Campbellsville extended their lead, ending the first half with a 10-point lead, 34-24.
Going into the second half, Wallace led the team with 15 points and Smith behind him with 7 points. Campbellsville shot 40.6% from the field and went 4-7 at the free-throw line. Cumberlands shot 31% from the field and went 3-6 at the free-throw line.
Muhammad made the first basket of the second half. The Patriots scored two back-to-back three-point jump shots, bringing the Cumberlands within six points of Campbellsville. That would be as close as they got though, as Jordan Graham responded with his first two points of the game in the second half with an open layup. As the second half went on, it was increasingly evident just how much the active Tiger defense was discombobulating the Patriots. Smith scored another three-point jumper, finishing the game with a 16-point lead and winning over the Patriots, 71-55.
By the end of the game, the Tigers shot 44.8% from the field and 5-of-15 from the three-point line (33.3%), while the Patriots finished shooting 20-of-63 (31.7%) overall and 7-of-29 from deep (24.1%). The story though was the difference in rebound numbers and bench points. The Tigers outrebounded the Patriots 49 to 30 and had 19 more bench points (29-10). Campbellsville had five players in double-digit points, with Wallace with 20 points, Milburn with 15, Graham with 14, Muhammad with 12 points, and Smith with ten.
The Tigers now will appear in Bowling Green, Kentucky Saturday, February 21st to take on the second-seeded Freed-Hardeman Lions at 6 p.m. ET.
