Campbellsville Hoops Gets Win Over Spalding

Campbellsville 66
Spalding 52

Final from Campbellsville, Kentucky

Game recap by CU:

Despite a slow start, Campbellsville picked up its first intrastate victory of the season Wednesday, handling NCAA Division III opponent Spalding University, 66-52, in the Powell Athletic Center.

The result puts CU back in the win column after falling, 78-63, at No. 25 Olivet Nazarene University on Dec. 5, and it's brings CU's intrastate record to 1-1 on the year after a loss Nov. 14 to Mid-Continent University.

"This was a tough game because of where it's placed in our schedule. Hind sight being 20-20 you probably don't want to schedule during finals week, but it gets so difficult to schedule that you play when you can," CU head coach Keith Adkins said. "We played tonight mentally like it was the middle of finals week. Our focus was somewhere else, and I'm glad, with that said, we could come out of here with a win."

Spalding took a 7-3 lead to start the game, but the Tigers slowly chipped into the Golden Eagle lead to even the score, 10-10, on a three-point play by Nestor Colmenares. The preseason All-American was 0-for-4 in the game until he dropped he drew a basket and a foul with 9:46 to play in the opening half. While Colmenares was silent in the first 10 minutes of the game, he scored 13 the remainder of the half. His three-point play started a 24-4 run to enter halftime with a 33-14 lead.

Spalding had 14 turnovers in the first half and shot 22.7 percent, but a halftime talk from coach Kevin Gray appeared to reverse the Golden Eagles' shooting woes. Spalding shot 66.7 percent in the second half, but was unable to cut lead any closer than 14 points.

Colmenares led CU with 24 points and had nine rebounds, while Caleb Harris had 11. Brett Crittenden of Tribune, Kan., scored the Tigers' first five points of the game and finished with seven.

"We were slow getting started to say the least, but Brett gave us a spark. He's always going to give you a lift with his effort and with his defense. He hit some buckets early that woke everybody else up," Adkins said.

Spalding leading scorer DeWhon McAfee led the Golden Eagles with 16 points.

CU (8-3) travels to Cumberland University on Monday for an 8 p.m. game.