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COLUMBIA, Ky. – It was a defensive battle as both Lindsey Wilson and Campbellsville (Ky.) struggled from the field, but it was the Tigers who had enough firepower to earn a win, topping the fourth-ranked Blue Raiders 69-66 in overtime on Monday at Biggers Sports Center.
Even playing 45 minutes of basketball, neither team could top 70 points as the Blue Raiders shot 42.6 percent and the Tigers hit at a 40.7 percent clip. The difference in the game was found in the hustle stats were Campbellsville led in rebounds 42-25 and steals 9-7.
The shooting was equally as bad from long range with Lindsey Wilson hitting 5 of 18 threes and Campbellsville knocking down 5 of 17.
Vernon Payne paced the Tigers with 24 points and 11 boards, while Justin Ennis added 13 points and Addison Smith chipped in 12. Chris Bridges and DeAntra Scott were the only two Blue Raiders in double figures with 13 each. Darren Ballou added nine points and three boards.
Lindsey Wilson led by as many as 15 points in the first half, taking a 29-14 lead on a layup by Ballou with four minutes to play. At the break, the Blue Raiders were up 31-20 and looked well in control.
It took over 10 minutes in the second half for the Tigers to trim the deficit to single digits for good. It finally happened with 8:22 to play on a basket by Payne to make the score 49-41.
A minute later, Jordan Myers gave Campbellsville a big boost with a 3-pointer that took a lifetime to rattle home and make it just a five-point game. The Blue Raiders bounced back and took an eight-point lead with three minutes to go, but the Tigers had one last 8-0 run of their own to help force overtime.
Lindsey Wilson didn't hit a shot in the final three minutes as Myers connected on another huge three at the one-minute mark to tie the score until the end of regulation.
Bridges opened the overtime period with a pair of free throws to put Lindsey Wilson up by two, but Smith hit a three about 15 seconds later to put the Tigers up one and they never let go of the lead.
Down 68-66 after two made free throws by Scott, Lindsey Wilson sent Ennis to the line with five seconds on the clock. He missed the first shot and made the second, allowing the Blue Raiders to inbounds the ball for a potential tying shot.
Kimberland got a look at a three well past midcourt, but had too much momentum carrying him towards his team's bench as his shot missed the rim to the left.
Lindsey Wilson, the Mid-South Conference Regular-Season Champion, begins MSC Tournament play as the championship's No. 1 seed. The Blue Raiders face No. 8-seed UVa.-Wise in Friday's first round at 1 p.m. CT at the Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky.
