The Bob Jones University men's basketball team will play one more game this season after they defeated #6 Campbellsville University Harrodsburg in an exciting 93-89 overtime win at the NCCAA National Tournament. 

After falling in a tight 99-97 contest to #2 Spurgeon College on Thursday, the Bruins were back in action in Minneapolis, Minnesota to take on the Pioneers from Campbellsville University Harrodsburg. The Pioneers entered today's game after losing to #3 Manhattan Christian College 72-69 on Thursday. 

Last season, the Bruins faced off against the Pioneers at the national tournament where Campbellsville overtook the Bruins and knocked them out of national championship contention. Today's win marked the fifth meeting between the two programs and the first ever victory for BJU over Campbellsville. 

Devin Pope started the scoring today with three-pointer to get the opening bucket for Bob Jones. A jumper by Braxton Murray started an eight point run by the Bruins to give them an early 10 point advantage over the Pioneers. With 6:40 left in the first half, the Pioneers made back-to-back free throws to get within two points of the Bruins. As the clock ran down, the Bruins held on to a five point 44-39 lead as the two teams went into the locker rooms at halftime. 

The score remained close between the two teams after the halftime break. Soon the Pioneers totaled nine straight points to tie and then take their first lead of the contest. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Pope's jumper followed by a basket outside of the arc put the Bruins back in the lead. The two programs kept it close in the final minutes of the game. Campbellsville took a five point lead with only 30 seconds remaining. Four seconds later, Pope responded with a three-point bucket to see the Bruins trail by just two points. After the Pioneers missed a free throw, Murray rebounded the ball and went down the court and put down his layup to even the score 84-84 at the end of regulation. 

With five minutes added to the clock, the two teams were back for overtime. The Pioneers opened the scoring in overtime before Trevor Brunson responded to knot the score again. After Campbellsville responded with a three-pointer to re-take the lead, Pope hit his free throw to even the score once more. With one minute remaining in extra time, Pope's jumper put the Bruins ahead by two. In the final 30 seconds, Pope and Josh Dorsey each sank a shot from the free throw line to see the Bruins take the 93-89 win over Campbellsville University Harrodsburg.
 

#PlayoftheGame

Devin Pope set a new career-high with 34 points, as this layup in overtime pushed @BJUBruins into tomorrow's fifth-place match pic.twitter.com/LcocbmCyRL

— NCCAA Championships (@NCCAAChamps) March 14, 2025
 

 

Following the game, Head Coach Burton Uwarow said, "We started off the game shooting really well. In the first half, we were 5-9 from the three-point line and were 9-10 from the free throw line."

He continued saying. "I had committed to the team that everyone would get a chance to play today and everyone made a contribution. In the first half, Justin Skelton gave us some really good minutes and good buckets after we hadn't scored in a few possessions. In the second half, and in the overtime, Josh Dorsey scored, defended, and rebounded the way we needed him to. Braxton Murray was perfect from the field and defended and rebounded as well. We are at our best when we have balanced scoring. Trevor Brunson had 19, Shad Vander Hart had 15, Braxton Murray had 10, and Devin Pope gave another All-American performance by scoring a career high 34 points."

Tomorrow, the Bruins will wrap up the 2024-25 season in a battle for fifth place against #5 Grace Christian University at 1:30 p.m. from Minneapolis, Minnestoa.