BUIES CREEK, N.C. – In the middle of a bunched-up Big South Conference race, Campbell (12-12, 6-6) travels to Gardner-Webb (12-13, 7-5) for a 7 p.m. start Wednesday at Paul Porter Arena.
After winning six times in a seven game span, the Camels have dropped their last three games, including a 67-56 setback Saturday at High Point.
Chris Clemons scored 26 points, but the Panthers rode a 22-5 run in the second half to claim the lead for good. Jahaad Proctor scored all 20 of his points in the second period for HPU.
Along with UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb is the lone unbeaten team on its home court this season among Big South members. The Bulldogs improved to 10-0 at Paul Porter Arena Saturday when Patrick Zeck's putback with 11.4 seconds left delivered a 63-61 decision over Charleston Southern. Jaheam Cornwall and Liam O'Reilly each scored 14 points to lead five Bulldogs in double digits.
Campbell stands 3-8 away from Gore Arena this year, 2-4 on Big South opponents' home floors.
On Jan. 3 at Buies Creek, David Efianayi tied his career high with 31 points, 26 after halftime, and Gardner-Webb rallied to defeat Campbell 82-80 in overtime. Liam O'Reilly added 15 points; while D.J. Laster and Jaheam Cornwall added 13 apiece for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who overcame an 18-point deficit in the first half.
Marcus Burk led Campbell with 20 points;
Chris Clemons added 18,
Andrew Eudy 17 and
Shane Whitfield 10.
NOTES:
- In each of its six home wins against Big South opponents this year, Gardner-Webb has yet to surrender more than 61 points. GWU's 63 points in Saturday's victory over Charleston Southern marked its high tally against a Big South foe this season at Paul Porter Arena.
- Gardner-Webb owns the second-best scoring defense (66.0) and defensive field goal percentage (.416) among Big South members in conference games this year.
- Campbell and Gardner-Webb have split their regular season series in each of the last three years. Three times in the last eight games between the schools (since 2015), the Camels and Runnin' Bulldogs have gone into OT, including Jan. 3 at Buies Creek. GWU is 2-1 in those OT contests vs. CU.
- Last year Campbell and Gardner-Webb split a pair of games with each winning on the other's home floor. After losing in its first four trips to Gore Arena, Gardner-Webb has won its last three games in Buies Creek, including a 79-69 victory in the quarterfinal round of the 2016 Big South Championship.
- Chris Clemons was held to a career-low 9 points in Campbell's 71-68 loss on Jan. 6, 2016 in Boiling Springs. However, the Big South pre-season player of the year has reached double digits in each outing since - a streak of 72 games - longest in NCAA Division I.
- Campbell and Gardner-Webb have played each other on three different levels. The teams squared off twice as junior college members in the '50s, then played 3 times as NAIA members in the late '60s-early '70s.
- Seven Gardner-Webb standouts have gone on to play in the NBA, including Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore and All-Star John Drew.
- GWU went 2-0 in non-league play this year against future Big South opponents USC Upstate (87-66) and Hampton (80-79), while Campbell defeated Upstate 93-74.
- While seven of the 15 players on Campbell's roster hail from North Carolina, only one of the 15 members on Gardner-Webb's team - freshman walk-on Kaleb Hewitt - is a Tar Heel State native.
Following Wednesday's game, the Camels return home Saturday to host Longwood at 4:30 p.m.
