The No. 11 Campbellsville University Lady Tigers got their 2009-10 season tipped off Monday night in Sumter, S.C. with a 99-87 win over Morris College.

The Lady Tigers rode the double-digit first-half scoring of four players to manufacture a 59-41 lead at intermission over their athletic opponent.

Melly Heaton drained three 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes to lead CU at the break with 14. She finished with 16 points. Fellow juniors Whitney Ballinger and Courtney Danis added 13 and 11 points, respectively in the half. 

 Ballinger went on to break the 20-point mark in the season opener with 23 points, while Danis finished with 15. Freshman Mackenzie Lee made her debut with 18 points, including 11 in the first half.

CU made runs of 13-1 and 13-5 in the half to break open the game in the first half.

"I thought we played pretty well in the first half," said CU coach Ginger Colvin. "I was especially pleased with our defense."

In the second half the Lady Tigers weren't nearly as sharp and Morris cut the lead to 78-67 with eight minutes to go and to 93-85 at the 35-second mark.

"I think we just got lazy on defense and didn't attack like we did early," offered Colvin.

But Ballinger caught a called-for pass from Compton, sank the layup, but missed the free throw. Danis pulled off the miss and Campbellsville was able to hold on.

Colvin was really pleased with the play of two newcomers - Lee and Compton.

"I thought they played pretty good for their first game - nerves and all. I was as happy with their defense as I was their offense."

Morris had two regular season games under its belt from a weekend round-robin at Emmanuel
College. It beat Truett-McConnell College 94-53 and lost to host Emmanuel 77-57.

The Lady Tigers remain on the road for the second and third games of a seven-game road swing when they play Robert Morris College in Chicago on Friday night at 7 and move over to Joliet, Ill. for a 5 p.m. game on Saturday with the University of St. Francis.

SHORT BOX
At Morris College
Sumter, S.C.
Morris College (87) - Kinlock 6, Teemer 2, Owens 5, Williams 12, Holmes 7, Murchison 3, Ready 6, Smith 2, Campbell 6, Eaddy 18, Wilkerson 20.
Lady Tigers (99) - Compton 9, Heaton 16, Danis 15, Ballinger 23, Ensminger 9, Lee 18, Thomas 2,
Messer 3, Isaacs 2, Dunn 2.
Half-time - Campbellsville 59-41.

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