Skip To Main Content

Campbell University

Hot-shooting Campbell pulls away from Longwood 93-77

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Preston Dodson scored a career-high 24 points and Campbell defeated Longwood 93-77 Saturday in its men's basketball home opener at the Pope Center/Gore Arena.

Lorne Merthie added 19 points, Junard Hartley 15 and Amir Celestin 12 for the Camels (3-3), who shot 60 percent from the field for the game despite playing without leading scorer Eric Griffin, who missed the game with an ankle injury.

Antwan Carter led five Longwood (3-3) double figures scorers with 14 points. Jeremiah Bowman and Aaron Mitchell added 13 each; Jan van der Kooij had 12, plus nine rebounds, and Martiz Washington 11 for the Lancers, who dropped to 0-3 against Division I opponents this season.

A senior from South Mills, N.C., and Camden County High School, Dodson scored 15 points in the second half, when he made 7-of-8 shots. For the game, the 6-foot-6 forward hit 10-of-13 from the floor to tie a Gore Arena record for shots made in a game, grabbed seven rebounds, dealt three assists and had two steals in 34 minutes.

Merthie scored 14 of his 19 points in the opening frame, while pulling down 8 rebounds to tie his career high. The junior guard added six assists and four steals while committing just one turnover in 35 minutes.

Hartley recorded season-highs for points and assists (9) with no turnovers for the Camels, who had just seven miscues on the day and finished with a 48-18 edge on points scored in the paint.

Longwood hit 13-of-20 threes (.650), 7-of-10 in the opening period and shot 50 percent (25-50) for the game, but the Camels made more free throws (24-36) than the Lancers attempted (14-20).

Campbell jumped to a 20-4 lead with 13:11 remaining in the opening half, but Longwood clawed back to within 40-34 at the break, thanks to van der Kooij's 12 first-half points on 4-of-4 shooting from long range.

Merthie's three with 15:08 remaining gave the Camels a 56-47 advantage, but the Lancers responded with a 9-0 run and knotted the score on Carter's lay-up with 12:35 to go.

After the teams exchanged buckets, Martell Jackson's put-back put the Camels in front for good with 10:43 to play. Longwood pulled with 70-66 on Martiz Washington's three with 6:18 to go, but Hartley scored twice on drives; then fed Marvelle Harris for a dunk to push the edge to double figures. Longwood never drew closer than eight the rest of the way.

The Camels led by as many as 19 down the stretch thanks in part to back-to-back technical fouls on Carter and Washington with 1:26 remaining.

Campbell finished with a 29-27 edge on the glass and out-scored the Lancers on the break by a 16-2 edge.

The Fighting Camels return to action Monday against Division II Johnson C. Smith in a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at Gore Arena.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Amir Celestin

#2 Amir Celestin

G
6' 1"
Junior
Preston Dodson

#51 Preston Dodson

F
6' 6"
Senior
Eric Griffin

#21 Eric Griffin

F
6' 8"
Junior
Marvelle Harris

#15 Marvelle Harris

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Junard Hartley

#12 Junard Hartley

G
6' 3"
Senior
Martell Jackson

#22 Martell Jackson

C
6' 10"
Junior
Lorne Merthie

#25 Lorne Merthie

G
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Amir Celestin

#2 Amir Celestin

6' 1"
Junior
G
Preston Dodson

#51 Preston Dodson

6' 6"
Senior
F
Eric Griffin

#21 Eric Griffin

6' 8"
Junior
F
Marvelle Harris

#15 Marvelle Harris

6' 6"
Freshman
F
Junard Hartley

#12 Junard Hartley

6' 3"
Senior
G
Martell Jackson

#22 Martell Jackson

6' 10"
Junior
C
Lorne Merthie

#25 Lorne Merthie

6' 2"
Junior
G