BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Following a week-long break for final exams, Campbell (7-2) hosts Georgia Southern (5-4) Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
The Camels have won five of their last six games and are off to their best start since the 2011-12 squad opened 8-1.
 
The Camels defeated Columbia International 74-56 Dec. 7 behind a balanced scoring effort.  Austin McCullough led CU with 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting, Cedric Henderson, Jr. added 14, while Jesus Carralero and Messiah Thompson chipped in 12 apiece for CU, which shot 52 percent from the floor and made only six turnovers.
 
Henderson (13.2), Carralero (11.1), Ricky Clemons (10.7) and Thompson (9.4) lead a balanced Campbell offense.
 
Under the direction of second-year head coach Brian Burg - who spent four years as a Campbell assistant ('09-13) - Georgia Southern is coming off a 77-68 loss at Mercer.  The Eagles own D1 wins over Ball State, South Florida and Big South member Hampton and lost by just two at Georgia Tech (61-59).
 

• Campbell has held all 9 of its opponents below 70 points and ranks first in the Big South, 16th in the nation, in scoring defense (58.0).  CU also tops the BSC in field goal defense (.393) and defensive rebounding percentage (.791).
• Campbell stands 4-0 this season at the 3095-seat John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center / Gilbert Craig Gore Arena and carries a 10-game home court win streak into Wednesday's contest.
• Campbell University COVID-19 policy requires all individuals to wear face masks indoors. A clear bag policy is in effect for all games in Gore Arena.

 
CAMPBELL-GEORGIA SOUTHERN NOTES

• Campbell and Georgia Southern have split the 10 meetings in the all-time series between the schools.  Most recently, GSU downed CU 84-74 on Nov. 29, 2019 in the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic at Fort Myers, Fla.  Austin McCullough came off the bench to lead the Camels with 16 points, while Cedric Henderson added 12 and Joshua Lusane 11.
• The Camels swept a pair of games from the Eagles in the 2013-14 campaign - Kevin McGeehan's first year as head coach.  CU claimed a 75-73 OT victory on Nov. 30, 2013 in Statesboro and defeated GSU 69-63 one month later in Buies Creek.
• The Eagles are guided by 2nd-year head coach Brian Burg,who spent 2009-13 as an assistant coach on the Camel staff.  During Burg's time in Buies Creek, the Camels shared the 2010 ASUN regular season title, won at Auburn and Iowa and went 4-0 vs. UNCW and ECU in Buies Creek.
• Before taking over the Georgia Southern program in 2020, Burg spent four seasons on Chris Beard's staff at Texas Tech.  He helped lead the Red Raiders to the 2019 NCAA title game and a 94-44 overall record.
• Georgia Southern is coming off a 13-13 campaign in '20-21, including a 7-9 record in the Sun  Belt Conference.
• Georgia Southern was picked 11th in the 12-team Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll.
• The Eagles rank 6th nationally - first in the Sun Belt - in field goal percentage (.514).
• With an average age of 20.9 on opening day, Georgia Southern is the 19th-oldest Division I team in the country.  Seventh-year senior Grant Weatherford is 25 years old - third-oldest in D1 - and spent 2015-16 as a red-shirt at Purdue before moving on to Midland JC and IUPUI.  Sixth-year senior Tre Cobbs is 24, 15th-oldest in D1, and started his career at Northern Kentucky before moving on to Kentucky Wesleyan.
• Red-shirt junior Andrei Savrasov spent two years at Texas Tech before joining Georgia Southern in 2020.  He leads the Eagles in scoring (12.3) and rebounding (5.9) through nine games.
• Notable Georgia Southern alumni include award-winning Country music artist Luke Bryan, Chick-Fil-A president Daniel Cathy, former NBA player and coach Michael Curry, whose son Deon served on the Campbell staff from 2012-16, and former PGA tour golfers Jodie Mudd and Gene Sauers.

 
TEDDY BEAR TOSS SET FOR WEDNESDAY

• Campbell University will partner with Dunn Toys for Tots to hold a Teddy Bear Toss during halftime of Wednesday's game.  Fans are encouraged to bring brand new teddy bears, or any plush toys, to throw onto the Gore Arena court when instructed to do so during halftime. All of the teddy bears and plush toys will be collected and donated to Toys for Tots to be distributed to children in the local community. Donation bins will also be available for other toy donations to Toys for Tots. All donated toys should be brand new and unwrapped.
• The Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstore will also have plush Camels and Bears to purchase at the game.  Fans who participate in the Teddy Bear Toss will have a chance to win a TV, electronics or other items.  Tickets are available at GoCamels.com/Tickets.