NASHVILLE, TENN.– Junior forward Kyle Vejraska played a key role in Campbell's late season push to secure the fifth seed in the A-Sun tournament. The native of Alachua, Fla., scored a season-high 18 points in CU's win at league leading Jacksonville, tied a school record with seven blocks in a win over East Tennessee State and closed the regular season with a 13-point, 8-rebound, 4-block showing in a win over Stetson. On the eve of Campbell's quarterfinal round game at fourth-seeded and tournament host Lipscomb, Vejraska took a few minutes to chat about the season and the A-Sun Championship.

Q: You have 14 blocked shots over the last four games. How do you explain the increased production?

A: Moving to the three (small forward position) really helps. I can help off my man and get to the weak side, especially on post players, who may not be looking for me. And I've been healthier than I've been all year.

Q: What was your conversation about with Coach Laing at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries on the Kennesaw State trip? (Vejraska scored a season-high 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting at KSU).

A: We really talked about what I can do to help the team improve. One of the major things was to run the floor as hard as I could each and every possession, both offensively and defensively.

Q: How has the bigger starting lineup, moving you to the three-spot, helped your productivity?

A: I really like it because I can use post skills on a smaller perimeter player, go in there and rebound, and make open shots. We have good post players, and teams tend to double them, so playing inside-out, I get some open shots.

Q: Are you more comfortable starting, or coming off the bench?

A: I don't really care about starting, or not starting. All that really matters is who finishes the game. Who's in there at crunch time, gets that bucket or that defensive stop. A lot of times we play lineups based on match-ups. That said, it's nice to get introduced at the start of the game with the lights off.

Q: Aside from the addition of the Convocation Center, what are the biggest changes you've seen in your three years at Campbell?

A: The level of athlete we have. My freshman year, we had some good athletes, but they never really bought into the system. This year we have good athletes who don't care about points per game. It's all about the W or L. The building of the Convocation Center was huge for us to help bring that type of athlete in. We also have lifted weights more this year than we have in the past, especially during the season.

Q: What is the most important thing you have learned from Coach Laing?

A: He really taught me to be a grown-up, to be mature in my life. In high school, I was always a good kid, but still was a kid. Coach Laing taught me to grow up and take care of my responsibilities.

Q: Other than the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center, what is your favorite college facility, and why?

A: I love the University of Florida and the McConnell Center because I'm home and have a lot of friends there. I really enjoyed our trip to Virginia Tech my freshman year. We played well and it was a nice atmosphere. In the conference, I enjoy playing at Mercer. It has that home "feel" (orange seats) and I've always played well there (including a career-high 25-point game in January 2007).

Q: What's your favorite road trip in the league, and why?

A: Jacksonville because it's so close to home. I have a lot of friends from home who attend those games at JU and UNF.

Q: What makes the home crowd cheer the loudest, a three-point shot, dunk in traffic, or rejection?

A: A dunk in traffic because it's a unique skill that not many people can do and it's always embarrassing to the opponent.

Q: What are the keys to defeating Lipscomb Thursday in the A-Sun quarterfinal round?

A: Defense, rebounding and transition to defense. If we can keep (first-team all-conference center) Adnan Hodzic (17.3 points, 7.4 rebounds per game) off the glass and limit his points, we'll have a much better shot at winning.