BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Campbellsville University men's basketball team traveled to E.A. Diddle Arena on Monday night for an exhibition contest against NCAA Division I foe Western Kentucky University. Despite a spirited start that saw the Tigers hold an early lead, Campbellsville was unable to withstand the Hilltoppers' offensive firepower, falling 102-59.
- Senior Ra Briggs led the Tigers' offense with 11 points, connecting on 3-of-7 attempts from three-point range.
- Dalton Kramer added nine points and two steals, while Jay Milburn was efficient in the paint, scoring eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field.
- Parker Jones provided a spark off the bench, contributing six points and two rebounds in 16 minutes of action.
- The Tigers forced the Hilltoppers into 13 turnovers, converting them into 14 points, but were outrebounded 49-25 in the contest.
- Campbellsville's bench tallied 20 points, with contributions from Jones, Taveon Smith (5 points), and Evan Frederick (4 points).
- The Tigers will return to action after the holiday break on Monday, December 29th, traveling to Oakland City, Indiana, to compete in the Oakland City University Invitational against Indiana University Kokomo at 1 p.m. ET.
The Tigers opened the game with confidence as
Ra Briggs drained a three-pointer on the first possession off an assist from
Jay Milburn to take a 3-0 lead. Campbellsville went toe-to-toe with the Hilltoppers in the opening minutes. Trailing 10-8,
Jay Milburn scored a layup to tie the game, and moments later,
Dalton Kramer buried a three-pointer to give the Tigers a 13-10 advantage at the 15:04 mark.
However, Western Kentucky responded with a decisive run to seize control. The Hilltoppers rattled off 13 unanswered points to reclaim the lead, 23-13, midway through the half. Campbellsville struggled to regain its shooting rhythm, hitting just 32.3% from the field in the first period, while WKU shot 54.5% to build a 54-28 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Tigers continued to battle.
Parker Jones made his presence felt on the offensive glass, converting a tip-in layup off a turnover to cut the deficit to 64-38.
Evan Frederick also found the scoring column with a couple of baskets in the paint.
Despite the Tigers' efforts, WKU's depth proved too much. The Hilltoppers shot 52.9% from three-point range in the second half to widen the gap. Late in the game,
Cannon Young made an impact on the defensive end with a block and converted 3-of-5 free throws in the final minutes to cap the scoring. The Hilltoppers ultimately secured the 102-59 victory.
