| Game 17: Charleston Southern (7-9, 1-3 Big South) at Campbell (10-6, 1-3 Big South) |
Charleston Southern hits the road once again for a nationally-televised matchup, this time with the defending Big South regular season champion Campbell Camels. Thursday's matchup is the first of six ESPNU Wildcard matchups for the Big South Conference in 2019-20 as the Bucs make their first ESPNU appearance since the 2015-16 season.
The series has been tightly-contested over recent history with eight of the last nine games being decided by 10-or-fewer points. In those eight contests, Campbell has a 5-3 advantage including a 73-72 victory in their lone showdown last season.
In their 10 matchups since Campbell returned to the Big South Conference, CSU has averaged 70.4 points a game offensively scoring 72 points four times and reaching the 80-point mark twice - both coming as wins. On the defensive side, the Bucs have surrendered 70-plus in only five of the matchups.
Although they haven't been on ESPNU in a few seasons, the Bucs are no stranger to the spotlight after taking on No. 3 Michigan State on the Big Ten Network and Dayton on Fox Sports Ohio this season and Marquette on Fox Sports Wisconsin last year.
Scouting The Camels
- Despite the loss of a generational talent, Campbell has continued their winning ways entering Thursday night as one of just three programs with a record above .500 on the season.
- Cedric Henderson Jr. paces the balanced Camel attack in 2019-20 with 12.1 points a contest as well as Jordan Whitfield at 10.5, both among the top-25 of the Big South in points per game. Cory Gensler sits just outside the top-25 with an average of 9.1 a night as all three are shooting above .421 from the floor.
- Campbell also boasts the second-best defense in the Big South and third-best scoring margin behind only Winthrop and Radford. Campbell has held seven opponents to 60 points or less on the season including a season-best 46 versus Florida Gulf Coast on their home floor and 46 in a home win over Elon.
- Three of the Camels' four Big South contests have been decided by five points including a pair of one-possession games against defending champion Gardner-Webb and a UNC Asheville squad that's on the rise.
A Win on Thursday Would…
- Give the Bucs their third true road win on the season
- Be the first road Big South win
- Be No. 24 in series history for CSU
- Give CSU 7 wins over their last 11 contests
- Come as the first win in Buies Creek over Campbell since the 2015-16 season
Series History
- Campbell holds a slim advantage in the all-time series, a matchup that has seen eight of the last nine decided by 10-or-fewer points.
- The longest win streak in the series came between 1977 and 1981 when Campbell took seven-straight before CSU took six-consecutive themselves from 1985 through 1987.
- Campbell owns the regular season advantage 25-20, but the Bucs have taken 3 of 4 when it counts the most in the Big South Tournament.
Last Time Versus Campbell
- Chris Clemons hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and Christian Keeling's answer fell short at the buzzer as Charleston Southern fell to visiting Campbell on Saturday evening in the Buccaneer Field House, 73-72.
- CSU (7-10, 1-3) led by as many as six with 2:38 to play as Keeling's fifth three-pointer of the game put the Bucs ahead 70-64. The Camels (10-8, 3-1) rallied back from the free throw line with Cory Gensler sinking a pair, and Clemons taking advantage of a late CSU technical foul to put Campbell within two at 72-70 with 26 seconds remaining.
- Off the inbounds pass out of the technical foul, Clemons connected from the top of the key to put Campbell ahead by one. CSU advanced the ball to midcourt before calling a late timeout with 6.2 seconds remaining to set up the final play. Keeling had the ball in his hands, but his contested jumper near the free throw line hit off the rim as time expired to end the contest.
- Keeling led the Bucs with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-11 from the three-point line. The junior guard completed his fifth double-double of the season with a game-high 10 rebounds in the loss. Travis McConico (17 points, eight rebounds), Dontrell Shuler (14 points), and Ty Jones (12 points) were also in double-digits in the loss.
- Clemons led all scorers with 29 points, including his game-winning three-pointer. The senior guard was 9-of-19 from the floor and 5-of-10 from the three-point line in the win. Andrew Eudy (11 points) was also in double-digits for the Camels.
