Campbell hits game winner with 0.9 remaining to eliminate UNO from CBI

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell University (18-15) hit a game winner with 0.9 seconds remaining to defeat the University of New Orleans (16-17) 71-69 to advance to the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational Monday evening at Gore Arena.

Cory Gensler drove from the backcourt and hit a mid-range jumper with .9 to go to give the Camels the 71-69 victory.

Ezekiel Charles finished with a career-high 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Makur Puou posted his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds and two others reached double figures .

On the previous possession, Chris Clemons – who finished with 35 points – drained a triple but Charles followed with a triple from the top of the key with 7.7 ticks to go. Scott Plaisance finished with 11 points and Troy Green came off the bench with 11 points.

FIRST HALF
The ball pressure forced four early turnovers and the Privateers held the potent Camel offense scoreless for nearly four minutes to take a 13-9 lead with 12:11 to go.

The offense picked it up follow back-to-back defensive stops by Plaisance (steal and block, respectively) with Charles’ triple at the 5:36 mark tying the contest at 21-all.

Moments later, Zeke connected on another from long distance to regain the lead for New Orleans 26-24 (3:52).

A 12-0 run in two minutes gave UNO the largest lead of the game 40-28 as the defense – block by Green and swipe by Damion Rosser – and the Privateer offense (4-of-4 from the field and perfect from the line in the stretch) put the Silver and Blue in front by double digits. Following his steal, Rosser soared for the finish as the freshman continues to showcase his hops.

Campbell hit a three at the buzzer but the Privateers went into the break leading 40-31 behind 51.6 percent shooting. UNO went 4-of-7 from three, led by Charles’ nine points – all from beyond-the-arc. The Camels were charged with eight turnovers and Chris Clemons had four with UNO making the most of the home team’s miscues, outscoring CU 12-2 off turnovers.

Green came off the bench with seven points, two assists and the block and Rosser and Puou picked up six points and five rebounds apiece in the stanza.

SECOND HALF
Clemons caught fire coming out of the locker room with eight points before the first media of the second half to cut the New Orleans lead to two.

An and-one by Clemons on the other side of the media gave the Camels their first lead since the 3:32 mark of the first but Charles responded with a layup of his own to regain the lead for UNO.

Green and Clemons traded points and following the nation’s returning leading scorer’s turnover, Plaisance connected on back-to-back jumpers for a season-high 11 points.

Zeke continued his hot shooting from three-point range, draining his fourth triple of the ballgame with 11:18 remaining to make it 57-52 Privateers.

The back and forth continued with each team taking a one-point lead before Puou’s bucket gave the senior a double-double for the second time this season (10 points, 10 rebounds) and extended the UNO lead to three (6:38).

Offense came at a premium from the 9:52 mark to the under four media with Campbell scoring just two points, both from the charity stripe. Harrison came up with a huge rebound following a three to beat the shot clock buzzer and the putback made it 63-60 UNO.

Campbell regained the lead on a three with 2:39 to go for the Camels’ first field goal since the 9:52 mark, 65-63.

After a timeout, Tyren Harrison came up big once again with a rebound off a corner triple and bucket +1 as he was fouled. The New York native drilled the free throw to knot the game at 66 with 46.1 ticks remaining.

Clemons hit the shot of the game with 22 seconds remaining and the shot clock expiring over a slew of Privateer defenders to give Campbell a 69-66 edge.

With 7.7 remaining, Charles stepped back at the top of the key and found the bottom of the net to tie it at 69-69 for his fifth triple of the evening.

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