Tuesday, December 26, 2006

MACON, Ga. – Campbell senior Eric Smith broke out of a season-long slump to earn the final Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week honor of the 2006 calendar year. Smith scored a season-high 24 points, including a season-best 6-of-12 three-pointers to lift the Camels to a 101-88 win over Radford.

The win improved Campbell to 4-0 at Carter Gym and marked the third time the team has reached the century mark in a home game this season. The guard added 14 more points in a loss at ACC foe Virginia Tech to close out the week. Versus the Hokies, the Chicago native drained 4-of-8 three-pointers as the Camels hit a season-best 15 triples, one shy of the school record. Smith was the A-Sun’s top returning scorer from last year and has overcome some early season struggles to raise his scoring average to 11.4 points per game. The senior is majoring in Physical Education.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out Player of the Week awards weekly during the 2006-07 men’s basketball campaign.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.

OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
• Eddie Ard, Lipscomb
(Jr. - F – LaPlace, La. – Marketing Major)
Scored 24 points on 13-of-13 foul shooting in win at Liberty

• Lehmon Colbert, Jacksonville
(Fr. - F – Roberta, Ga. – Undecided Major)
Netted season-best 18 points in homecoming versus Georgia

• Justin Hare, Belmont
(Jr. - G - Cleveland, Tenn. – Exercise Science Major)
Finished with team-high 15 points in narrow loss to No. 25 Michigan State