BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Jonathan Rodriguez scored 21 points to lead
four Camels in double figures and Campbell extended its winning
streak to four games Monday night with a 71-64 victory over
Kennesaw State at the Pope Center/Gore Arena.
Campbell (16-9, 11-5) moved into a tie for first place in the
Atlantic Sun Conference with Belmont and Jacksonville and matched
its school record for league victories since joining the A-Sun in
1994-95. Kyle Vejraska (13) and Preston Dodson (10) came off the
bench to hit double-digits. Miles Taylor added 10, while Lorne
Merthie finished with 9, including a triple from the left corner
with 1:17 to go that pushed CU's lead to 69-60 and capped a late
10-2 run.
Rodriguez hit 13-of-15 from the free throw line and grabbed 7
rebounds on the same day he was named A-Sun player of the week for
the third time this year. Fellow senior Vejraska hit a season-high
for points by making 5-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the
arc. Junard Hartley dealt nine assists for the Camels, who
clinched a winning overall record for the first time since the
1995-96 club finished 17-11.
"We're trying to take it one step at a time, win as many games as
we can and be tournament ready," said head coach Robbie Laing, of
his squad that improved to 10-3 at home this season and won its
5th-straight in the series vs. KSU.
Markeith Cummings led Kennesaw State (12-15, 7-9) with 15 points
and 7 rebounds. Kurtis Woods and Kelvin McConnell added 11 each,
while Spencer Dixon chipped in 10.
A 12-4 Kennesaw run capped by Kelvin McConnell's deep three from
the right wing gave the Owls their first lead of the game (51-50)
with 8:39 to play, but Vejraska answered on the following
possession with his third triple of the night.
Woods canned a trey to put KSU back on top 56-55 with 6:42
remaining, but Rodriguez responded underneath off a drive and dish
from William Kossangue with 6:19 to play and CU never trailed
thereafter.
Merthie started and closed the decisive 10-2 burst with threes.
The Camels knocked down 3-of-4 treys in the final stanza, and hit
59 percent of their field goals and 8-of-10 from the stripe after
intermission.
On the evening, Campbell shot 54.3 percent (25-46) from the floor,
54.5 percent (6-11) from 3-point range, and made 15-of-18 from the
line (.833). Kennesaw State, which lost its 3rd-straight game,
connected on 52 percent (23-44) of its shots and 7-of-18 (.389)
from 3-point distance, but made only 11-of-20 from the charity
stripe (.550).
The Camels finished with a 28-23 edge on the boards and committed
just 10 turnovers
Campbell led by as many as 10 in the opening period and by six at
the break (34-28). Vejraska scored all 10 of his first-half points
during a 3:13 span, capped by a lay-up in traffic that put the
Camels in front 23-14 with 9:06 to go. The Camels held a 16-5 edge
in points off turnovers in the opening period, but Kennesaw played
the final 20 minutes without a miscue.
CU continues its 4-game home stand Wednesday with a 7:00 p.m.
tip-off against USC Upstate.
