BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell (4-3, 0-0) opens Big South Conference play this week with a pair of games at defending league champion and preseason favorite Winthrop.  The Camels and Eagles tip off Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., followed by Thursday's 1:00 p.m. start at the Winthrop Coliseum.  Both games will air on ESPN+.
 
After opening the season with 4-straight wins - the first time the Camels have been 4-0 to start the year since 2011-12, Campbell has dropped its last three outings, most recently to UNCW (78-59) on Dec. 21.
 
Winthrop (5-0, 2-0) is off to the program's best start in 38 years, is ranked No.-2 in the College Insider.com Mid-Major poll, and is coming off an 87-71 win over Furman on Dec. 19 in Rock Hill.
 
Cedric Henderson, Jr., led Campbell with 23 points and 9 rebounds against UNCW, while Jesús Carralero added 9 points and 3 steals off the bench.
 
Charles Falden led four Eagles in double figures with 18 points against Furman in a game where Winthrop raced to a 53-36 halftime lead.
 
CAMPBELL-WINTHROP NOTES

• Winthrop enters Wednesday's contest leading the Big South in scoring (88.8), margin (+15.4), 3-point FG% (.397), assists (18.0), steals (9.4), turnover margin (+5.8), assist-turnover ratio (1.4) and 3-point FG per game (9.6).
• Campbell tops Big South members - and ranks 25th in the nation - in team FG% (.509), just ahead of Winthrop (.500), while rating 2nd in scoring (75.9), assists (14.7), turnover margin (+3.9) and assist-turnover ratio (1.1).
• Winthrop opened Big South play Dec. 12-13 with a pair of wins at USC Upstate.  The Eagles downed the Spartans 95-77 in the opener as Josh Corbin came off the bench to lead 5 Winthrop players in double figures with 17 points and the visitors made 13-of-25 threes.  One day later, Winthrop made 16-of-39 beyond the arc in a 107-77 victory highlighted by Chandler Vaudrin's 13-point, 11-rebound, 14-assist triple-double.  Adonis Arms came off the bench to lead 5 Eagles in double digits with 17 points.
• Since returning to the Big South Conference in 2011-12, Campbell stands 6-3 in league openers.
• The all-time series between Campbell and Winthrop is tied 21-21, but the Eagles have won the last four meetings.  WU stands 12-8 all-time against the Camels in Rock Hill.
• The team that has led at halftime has won eight of the last 10 meetings between the Camels and Eagles.  CU led the Eagles 47-46 at halftime on Jan. 10, 2019 before Winthrop rallied for a 90-86 victory. CU led last year's game in Rock Hill 26-24 at the break before Winthrop claimed a 62-53 decision.
• Top-seeded Winthrop defeated Campbell 76-59 in the 2017 Big South Conference final at Rock Hill.  Last year, Winthrop downed Hampton 76-68 to claim the league tourney title.
• Red-shirt sophomore forward D.J. Burns, Jr., and red-shirt senior guard Chandler Vaudrin represented Winthrop on the Big South preseason all-conference first team.  Vaudrin ranks 2nd in the nation in assists average (9.4) and also leads the league in assist-turnover ratio (3.9).
• Founded in 1886 to train young women to teach in the public schools, Winthrop became co-educational in 1974 and joined NCAA Division I as a Big South Conference charter member in 1984-85.
• The Eagles have won more than twice as many Big South tournament titles (12) as the next closest member (UNC Asheville with 5).
• Notable Winthrop alumni include actress Andie MacDowell (Groundhog Day) and Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford.
• Following this week's games at Winthrop, Campbell hosts High Point next Monday and Tuesday (Jan. 4-5).