CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. --- Playing limited contests over the last month, a short-handed Life University men's basketball team received outstanding second half play from Chris Barnes, Champ Dawson, and Nathan Presnell, buoying the team to a hard fought Mid-South Conference victory at Campbellsville University, 69-65, Saturday afternoon.

With both teams playing today missing important contributors, Life U (5-8, 2-6 MSC) and Campbellsville (9-8, 2-7 MSC) played throughout the contest as teams that were very evenly matched. Over the course of the first half alone the teams exchanged the lead 12 times while tying on another seven occasions. Midway through the half, Life U pushed the lead to their largest of the game at five, 15-10, following a C. Barnes put back layup with 11:52 on the clock. A Dawson jumper and James Leible layup saw the score tied 28-28 with just 39 seconds left, but a Tigers offensive rebound and score down low made it seem the game was going to the break with the home team on top. With time expiring, C. Barnes cut to the rim and hit a close range floater to see the first half end at a tie, 30-30.

After being the primary option in the first half, C. Barnes was joined by Dawson and Presnell in the second half to give the Tigers defensive fits, combining for 33 of Life U's 39 points during the period. An early offensive rebound followed by a score in the paint by Presnell saw the Life U lead move to 34-31, but as the period neared its mid point, Campbellsville started taking control of the momentum holding the lead from 11:26 to 7:09. Dawson and Presnell scored eight straight points for the Running Eagles to see the team get back on top of the trading of scores with the Tigers. Tied 65-65 with 29 second to play, Kyonze Chavis connected on a pair of clutch shot at the charity stripe to give the Running Eagles an edge, while C. Barnes followed him up to ice the game from the stripe, giving the final score of 69-65.

C. Barnes' streak of monster performances extends to six as the transfer graduate student recorded his first double-double of the year with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Dawson and Presnell were the only other Life U players to break into double digit scoring, Dawson posting a season-best night with 14 points, three assists, and four steals, while Presnell's 13 points came with seven rebounds and four blocks.

Both teams shot well relatively well from the floor, Life U holding a small edge at 42.6% (26-for-61) compared to the Tigers' 41.1% (23-for-56). Neither team had a great day from deep, but they shot well from the free throw line. The Running Eagles' held the advantage from the charity stripe 88.2% (15-for-17) to Campbellsville's 70.0% (14-for-20). Life U also outperformed Campbellsville in the paint, collecting 36 rebounds to the Tigers' 26, while outscoring them in the paint 34-28.

The Running Eagles return to action with another Mid-South Conference road contest Thursday, January 20th at 8 PM against the University of the Cumberlands.