BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Kevin McGeehan steps on the sidelines for the first time as Campbell's new head coach Friday when the Fighting Camels open the 2013-14 season at home with a 7:00 p.m. tip-off in Gore Arena against Shenandoah.
After helping lead the University of Richmond to five post-season berths in the last six years, McGeehan accepted the top Campbell job last April. He brought a spread motion attack on the offensive end as well as a match-up zone with him from the highly-successful Atlantic-10 program.
The Camels return seven of their top 10 scorers from last year's squad that finished 13-20 overall, 7-9 in the Big South Conference.
Senior forward Marvelle Harris is the club's top returning scorer (8.2) and rebounder (6.4) from a year ago, while junior wing Reco McCarter (8.0 points per game in '12-13) hit double digits 11 times. Junior guard Andrew Ryan averaged 7.1 points, started 23 of his last 24 games and scored in double figures in 5 of the squad's final 7 contests, including a career-high 27-point effort in a win over VMI at Gore Arena.
Notable:
Campbell stands 19-17 in season-opening games since joining NCAA Division I in 1977-78. The Camels have won six of their last seven openers overall... CU has won its last seven home openers, including five-straight at Gore Arena. The last time CU dropped its first home game of the year was a 90-81 loss to San Diego on Nov. 18, 2005 in Carter Gym.
Last year, Campbell extended its school Division I era record for double-digit victory totals in a season to eight years.
Since moving into Gore Arena at the Pope Convocation Center in Nov. 2008, Campbell has amassed a 48-24 (.667) record in five seasons, including an 8-8 mark last year.
Shenandoah, a member of the Division III Old Dominion Athletic Conference, finished the 2012-13 season with a 4-22 overall record, 1-15 in league play. The Hornets are led by third-year coach Rob Pryor, who was the Air Force prep coach at the same time Kevin McGeehan was an assistant at the Air Force Academy (2004-05). The Hornets went 0-1 vs. Big South schools in '12-13, falling to VMI.
Following Friday's game, the Camels travel to Appalachian State Tuesday (8 p.m.) for their first game in the Global Sports Shootout.
