OAKLAND CITY, Ind. - Indiana University Kokomo men's basketball returned from a short Christmas break on Monday afternoon in game one of two at Oakland City University's Dunn Hospitality Group Classic, handing a strong Campbellsville University squad its second loss of the season with a commanding 65–50 victory.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Johnson Center | Oakland City, IN
• UPDATED RECORDS: Campbellsville University - 12-2,  IU Kokomo - 9-3
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: Campbellsville University - N/A, IU Kokomo - N/A

THE RUNDOWN 

• Evan Kretz finished Monday afternoon's contest 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, but he opened the game with a splash, drilling a three on the Cougars' opening possession to give IU Kokomo an early 3–0 lead. Campbellsville evened the score at seven before IU Kokomo answered with seven straight points to take a 14–7 lead at the 12-minute mark.
• The Tigers were stymied offensively by an energetic IUK defense, as the Cougars held Campbellsville to just 28 percent shooting while connecting at a 45 percent clip themselves. IU Kokomo steadily built a double-digit advantage and carried a 36–23 lead into halftime.
• The IU Kokomo defense was on display for a full 40 minutes, as the Tigers managed just 27 second-half points in what proved to be a comfortable closing stretch. Campbellsville never got closer than 12 in the second half, as the Cougars remained in control on their way to a 65–50 victory.
• What made Monday's neutral-site win over Campbellsville in the penultimate non-conference game of the regular season even more special was the fact that the Tigers entered the week with a 12–1 overall record. Their lone loss came against IU Southeast, with whom they split the season series, and Campbellsville was also 5–1 against River States Conference opponents prior to Monday.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Junior forward Joseph Annan Jr. led IU Kokomo on Monday, recording his third straight double-double and sixth of the season with a game-high 15 points and 13 rebounds, while also posting a career-high four steals.
• Seniors Evan Kretz and Ty Wills followed Annan Jr.'s effort with 15-point, four-rebound and 14-point, six-rebound performances, respectively. Kretz and Wills combined to go 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, helping lead the Cougars to an 18-for-22 (81.8%) showing from the charity stripe.
• Jake McGraw chipped in nine points and five rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench, while classmate Alonzo Clawson-Smith returned to action and filled the stat sheet with seven points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "Great effort today beating a quality opponent in Campbellsville! Defensively we had a strong showing, which is an area that we have focused on improving. Another big test tomorrow against Cumberland University as we close out our non-conference play." - Head Coach Eric Echelbarger

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Game: 12/30 vs Cumberland (Tenn.) at Oakland City - 4:00 PM ET
• Next Home Game: 1/6 vs Oakland City University - 6:00 PM ET 

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.