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Campbell University

Men's Basketball

Men's Hoops Defeats Norfolk State 69-64 Behind Rodriguez' 29 Points

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Jonathan Rodriguez scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Campbell to a 69-64 men's basketball win over visiting Norfolk State Tuesday night at Carter Gym. Kyle Vejraska added 16 points and Reggie Bishop 11 for the Fighting Camels (4-6), who won their second-straight game.

Rodriguez tallied his eighth double-double in the last nine games to raise his Atlantic Sun Conference-leading averages to 22.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. The A-Sun player of the week canned 9-of-14 from the floor and 11-of-14 free throws in his seventh 20-plus point outing of the year.

Over the last four games, the 6-foot-5 sophomore forward has made 43-67 (.642) shots from the field while averaging 28.3 points and 12.8 boards.

Vejraska hit 6-of-10 field goals and made 4-of-4 free throws for the Camels, who converted a season-high 88 percent (22-of-25) from the stripe. Jake Wohlfeil added six points, plus a career-high eight assists, while freshman guard Junard Hartley had five assists.

Tony Murphy was the lone Spartan in double figures with 18 points on 6-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-12 threes. Kevin Worsley added eight points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Deloach had eight points and five assists for Norfolk State (2-7), which lost its third-consecutive outing.

Norfolk State shot just 40.6 percent (28-69) from the floor, but the Spartans converted 17 offensive rebounds into 22 second-chance points and 23 Fighting Camel turnovers led to 29 Spartan points.

Deloach's drive in the lane capped a 13-2 run and gave Norfolk State its largest lead 43-34 with 15:46 left in the contest. CU chipped away and tied the game at 53-all on Rodriguez' foul shots with 6:02 remaining.

Bishop's triple with 3:10 to go broke a 58-all tie and put the Camels in front for good. CU canned its final 11 foul shots of the game, including 8-of-8 in the last 2:13.

Norfolk State, which made just 4-of-6 from the line on the night, was unable to cut the margin to less than three in the final three minutes.

The Camels hit 44.7 (21-47) from the floor, including 5-of-16 (.313) from 3-point range.

Norfolk State used a 12-2 run – helped along by four Camel turnovers – midway through the first half to take a 26-19 lead, capped by Corey Lyons' lay-in with 5:44 left. CU, however, scored nine unanswered points late in the period and the game was tied at 29-all at the break.

Campbell committed 12 first-half turnovers that the Spartans converted into 15 points. Rodriguez had 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting, plus 7-of-8 free throws, plus seven rebounds in the opening period.

CU returns to action Dec. 28 in a 7:00 p.m. contest at Liberty that will be televised by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Norfolk State plays Saturday (3:00) at Evansville.

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Players Mentioned

Reggie Bishop

#4 Reggie Bishop

G
6' 3"
Senior
Junard Hartley

#12 Junard Hartley

G
6' 3"
Freshman
Jonathan Rodriguez

#3 Jonathan Rodriguez

F
6' 5"
Sophomore
Kyle Vejraska

#1 Kyle Vejraska

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
Jake Wohlfeil

#2 Jake Wohlfeil

G
6' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Reggie Bishop

#4 Reggie Bishop

6' 3"
Senior
G
Junard Hartley

#12 Junard Hartley

6' 3"
Freshman
G
Jonathan Rodriguez

#3 Jonathan Rodriguez

6' 5"
Sophomore
F
Kyle Vejraska

#1 Kyle Vejraska

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
Jake Wohlfeil

#2 Jake Wohlfeil

6' 4"
Senior
G