Friday, February 19, 2010

The logjam atop the A-Sun standings could see separation in this, the penultimate weekend of the regular season. Among the critical matchups, Campbell hosts ETSU in the A-Sun/CSS Game of the Week. The Camels enter the game sharing first place with Belmont and Jacksonville.

February 19 marks the latest date the Camels have held a share of first place in the league standings since joining the Atlantic Sun Conference in 1994-95.

Tonight’s contest with ETSU marks Campbell’s final regular-season game against one of the conference’s three Tennessee schools. Thus far, the three, have take four of five from the Camels.

For four years, Jonathan Rodriguez has led the Camels, becoming the school’s leading scorer and rebounder. In fact, he has paced the Camels in both categories every year. He can join Brad Childress as the only player in the school’s Division I era to lead the team in two of the five main categories (scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks) in each of his four years. Rodriguez would be the first Camel to lead the team in scoring four straight years and the second to lead in rebounding all four years.

When the two met in Johnson City, the Buccaneers trailed once, 1-0, in besting the Camels, 72-57. All of the five Bucs’ starters played at least 33 minutes and all scored in double figures, led by 18 points from Justin Tubbs. Tommy Hubbard added 15 points and 10 rebounds. ETSU limited Jonathan Rodriguez to only 4-of-14 shooting.

Hubbard leads all guards in the nation in double-doubles with 13. He ranks second in the nation among guards in rebounding average, trailing only UAB’s Elijah Millsap.

Since the Buccaneers joined the A-Sun in advance of the 2005-06 season, ETSU has dominated the series with Campbell winning eight of the nine meetings. Campbell’s lone victory came last season, at home, the first meeting at the Pope Center. Among the A-Sun teams, the Bucs have put up the second-highest points per game average against Camels, averaging more than 85 points per game. Only Mercer (88.9) has allowed more points per game to ETSU since the Bucs joined the league.

Matt Stewart and Sonny Smith will be on the call. For those outside the CSS markets, catch all the action on ASun.TV, ESPN360.com or on ESPN Full Court. In middle Georgia, the game airs live on CST. In central Florida markets, the game airs on the Bright House Sports Network on tape delay at noon on Monday.