Campbellsville: small school, big in basketball

Campbellsville University, a small school in a small community, has big bragging rights.

Only one institute of higher education in the nation has both its men's and women's basketball teams ranked among the Top 3. The Campbellsville men are 18-1 and ranked No. 1 in NAIA Division I for the first time in school history. The women are 17-1 and ranked No. 3.

Both programs had never been in the top five simultaneously. It's a source of pride for a school with an enrollment of 3,600 and a town with a population of 10,803.

"It's an exciting time for this university," men's coach Keith Adkins said. "We're a small town that depends on the university. We're a small university that depends on the community. We always have support but whenever you have your teams doing exceptionally well, that creates even more of a buzz."

Adkins expected to be good. Following a 14-15 season, the Tigers added key NCAA Division I transfers in 6-foot-10 center Damontre Harris (Florida) and guard D'Von Campbell (Rutgers). Harris leads the NAIA in blocks (3.44 per game) and the team in rebounding (9.6). Campbell is second in the nation in assists (6.4) and is the Tigers' top scorer (14.8).

The addition of Harris is particularly interesting. He originally attended South Carolina but transferred in the spring of 2012 to Florida but never played for the Gators. He sat out 2012-13 due to NCAA transfer rules and then was suspended by coach Billy Donovan for 2013-14.

Adkins, a former Paintsville High School teammate of Florida assistant John Pelphrey, said Harris has been "a model citizen."

"At Florida, he ran into some maturity issues," Adkins said. "He had to grow up some."

Entering Thursday night's home game against Life University, Campbellsville has won 12 straight with its only loss at then-No.4 Benedictine College 63-54 in Kansas.

The success is gratifying for sophomore guard Miles Rice. The Trinity High School graduate had never been a team that finished with a losing record until last season.

"I knew this team would be special," Rice said.

The women's success has been more surprising. The Tigers lost four key players from a squad that went 32-4 and reached the 2014 NAIA tournament quarterfinals.

Despite the transition, this is the highest Campbellsville has been ranked in Ginger Colvin's eight years as coach. This squad wins with balance. Caroline Owen (11.6 points per game) is one of six players averaging at least 7.4. The Tigers haven't had a Mid-South Conference player of the week this season.

"In the first semester our schedule was pretty tough," said Colvin whose team has only lost to then-No.19 Lindsey Wilson. "To see where we are right now, it's a really good feeling."

Campbellsville next plays at Reinhardt University on Saturday in Georgia.

Contact Michael Grant at (502) 582-4069, and on Twitter @MichaelGrant_CJ