CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville University Tigers hosted the Reinhardt University Eagles for the season opener on Monday night. Campbellsville's heavy rotation and arduous work in the paint proved decisive, earning them a 72-61 season-opening victory.

• Senior Jay Milburn and newcomer junior Eli Brooks both recorded double-doubles; Milburn finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Brooks tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Junior guard Dalton Kramer orchestrated the offense with a game-high seven assists, adding nine points and a team-high two steals.
• The Tigers' depth was a deciding factor, with the bench outscoring Reinhardt's 26-8.
• Campbellsville dominated inside, controlling points in the paint (40-28) and fastbreak points (14-2).
• The Tigers (1-0) will be back in action, traveling to Columbia, Kentucky, to battle the College of Coastal Georgia Mariners on Saturday, November 1st, beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Jay Milburn opened the 2025-26 season by putting Campbellsville on the scoreboard with a three-point shot on an assist from Eli Brooks. The Tiger defense held the Eagles scoreless for the first two-and-a-half minutes, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after a Brooks layup.

Reinhardt collected their first points at the 17:17 mark. After Ra Briggs entered the game, he secured an offensive rebound and converted a layup to extend the lead. Though the Tigers struggled from deep early, Dalton Kramer hit his first three of the night at the 14:40 mark. The bench provided a significant spark; a key defensive rebound from Brooks led to a layup for Marcellus Vail, and minutes later, a steal by Kramer set up Taveon Smith for a striking dunk to increase the advantage.

The Eagles elevated their offense, eventually taking a 32-31 advantage with 1:17 left in the first half. Parker Jones reclaimed Campbellsville's lead with a three, but Reinhardt quickly tied it at 34-34 with a layup. In the final seconds of the period, Taveon Smith landed another bucket from beyond the arc, assisted by Kramer, to close the half with a 37-34 lead for the Tigers.

Much like the first half, Milburn was the first to score in the opening moments of the second, converting a layup to extend the lead. The teams traded baskets, and the Eagles tied the game 39-39 on a three-pointer before briefly taking a 42-41 lead at the 16:11 mark.

Campbellsville immediately responded. Javaughn Smith hit a layup to retake the lead, and Kramer followed with a layup of his own to spark a dominant, game-changing run. Brooks ignited the crowd with back-to-back dunks, pushing the lead to 50-42. The Tigers' defense stifled the Eagles, and the offense built its largest lead of the night—17 points—when a Jones layup made the score 66-49 with 4:35 to play.

Reinhardt's foul-heavy play in the second half, where they committed 10 team fouls, allowed the Tigers to control the tempo. Campbellsville's 40 points in the paint were ultimately too much for the Eagles to overcome, as the Tigers secured the 72-61 victory.