BUIES CREEK, North Carolina – After a hard-fought setback against in-state rival East Carolina, Campbell looks to rebound Saturday when Delaware State visits Gore Arena for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.
The Camels (6-8) dropped a 79-71 decision to the Pirates Thursday despite a career-high 29-point effort, plus 5 assists from Reco McCarter. Marvelle Harris came off the bench to add season highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Camels, who are 2-1 on their current 5-game home stand.
Campbell finished with a 27-5 edge in 2nd-chance points, but the Pirates knocked down 13-of-23 threes and got a Gore Arena record 37 points from Akeem Richmond.
Delaware State (3-10, 0-2 MEAC) halted a 5-game losing streak Thursday in a 66-65 OT win at home against Gardner-Webb. The Hornets trailed by 15 with 15:27 to play, but GWU missed 3 front ends of 1-and-1 chances down the stretch. Casey Walker led DSU with 21 points and 8 rebounds.
CAMEL TRACKS
- Campbell stands 4-3 at Gore Arena this year, while Delaware State is 0-7 away from home.
- The Camels tied a team Gore Arena record for fewest turnovers (6) on Thursday vs. ECU.
- Over the last two games, Campbell has surrendered only 8 second-chance points, 5 to East Carolina and 3 to Georgia Southern, while out-rebounding those foes by a total of 13 boards.
- Delaware State collected its first win against a Division I opponent this season when it rallied for Thursday's OT victory against Gardner-Webb. The Hornets have faced a difficult schedule, including road losses to Georgia Tech (68-50), Clemson (58-37), George Washington (94-50), Dayton (56-46) and Oklahoma State (75-43).
- Campbell leads the all-time series with the Hornets 3-0, but the teams have not met since a 76-64 Camel win on Jan . 2, 1986 at Carter Gym. In that contest, John Huffstetler led CU with 14 points while future Big South players of the year Clarence Grier ('86-87) and Henry Wilson ('88-89) added 13 and 10 points, respectively.Campbell stands 20-21 all-time vs. current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, 0-1 this season (loss to NC Central). The Camels dropped 2 games against MEAC members in 2012-13 (to NC A&T and Savannah State). Campbell last defeated a MEAC club on Nov. 17, 2011, a 94-66 triumph over NC A&T at Gore Arena.
- Big South Conference members are 3-9 vs. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schools this season entering Saturday's action. In addition to Campbell's game vs. Delaware State, Radford travels to Hampton Saturday (4 pm).
- Delaware State ranks 2nd among MEAC schools in scoring defense, allowing just 65.6 points per game. However, the Hornets are scoring only 59.2 points per outing and has reached the 70-point barrier (in an 80-70 loss to Delaware) only once against Division I opponents.
- Thursday's victory against Gardner-Webb marked the first time this year Delaware State has won a game decided by 10 or fewer points after dropping the first 5 of those decisions.
- Delaware State was picked 7th (of 13 schools) in the MEAC pre-season poll. Norfolk State was the favorite, while fellow '13-14 CU opponent NC Central was 3rd.
- Junior forward Tyshawn Bell missed Monday's 60-57 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn, but returned to score 10 points in 30 minutes vs. Gardner-Webb.
- Following Saturday's game, the Camels open Big South Conference play Wednesday at home vs. High Point (7:00 p.m.).