CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY. – The Campbellsville University Tigers hosted the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders in the Battle of Highway 55 on Thursday night. The Tigers ended victorious over the Blue Raiders, 68-59.
The Tigers struck first, scoring the game's first six points with two made three-pointers from
Jay Milburn, while the Blue Raiders remained scoreless. The Tigers took advantage of open looks from behind the arc, with all their points coming from three-point range. The Blue Raiders had trouble keeping the ball out of the Tigers' hands, with eight points off turnovers in the early stages of the game. The Blue Raiders battled back to tie the game. After a two-minute scoring drought for the Tigers and a flagrant one foul on the Blue Raiders,
Cobe Penny sank both free throws to put the Tigers back on top by one point. Not long after, Penny returned to the stripe to give the Tigers a 23-12. Fouls were a common theme in the first half, with both teams already in the bonus.
Jace Wallace's three-pointer extended the Tigers' lead to eight with less than three minutes of play in the first half. In the first 20 minutes of the game, rebounds were in the Blue Raider's favor after grabbing 19. The Blue Raiders fought back to make it a close game. Wallace hit an and-one three, leading Campbellsville with 16 points, going 3-4 from behind the arc. The Tigers were efficient from the charity stripe, going 10-11 from the free-throw line. The Tigers capitalized on turnovers before the end of the half, leading by eight points, 36-28.
Lindsey Wilson started the second half with a three-pointer of their own. Campbellsville struggled to pick up where they left off, forcing shots and turning the ball over. Six early fouls by Campbellsville kept the lead within two points halfway through the second 20 minutes of play. The Blue Raiders outscored the Tigers 20-15 at the halfway point. The Tigers retained a three-point lead after a fundamental bucket by
Chandler Clements.
Darius Harding's fierce blocks were a significant testament to the Tigers' defense.
The Campbellsville defense came up big, forcing three turnovers for the Blue Raiders and extending the Tigers' lead to nine points. Lindsey Wilson surged back late by scoring nine unanswered points, tying the game at 57-57. The Tiger went to the line twice on intentional fouls, missing the second each time but getting the offensive rebounds to continue the possession with under a minute left.
Wallace led the way for the Tigers with 24 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Penny and Milburn both had 11 points, respectively. The Tigers capitalized on points off turnovers, scoring 19.
The Tigers will be back in action in Campbellsville, hosting the Montreat College Cavaliers on Saturday, January 27th. The game is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET.
