When you look down the bench of the Campbellsville University Lady Tigers, you never know who may step up with a big game. Considering the Lady Tigers were playing Friday for a trip to the Elite Eight of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, it is no surprise that Mt. Sterling natives Courtney Danis and Mackenzie Lee were the stars. The two teamed up to lead Campbellsville past Trevecca Nazarene University, 75-57, for their fourth Elite Eight appearance as teammates.

During their time as teammates at Montgomery County High School, Danis and Lee played together on three Kentucky High School Athletic Association Elite Eight teams. In their first year as Lady Tiger teammates, their back in familiar territory.

"Yes it's a new stage, but it's been part of us since Mac was in the eighth grade," Danis said.

CU trailed most of the first half, but the Mac Attack hit right when the Lady Tigers needed it. Lee scored seven unanswered points to rally CU from six points down to give Campbellsville its first lead of the game, 22-20, with six minutes left in the first half. While Trevecca Nazarene answered, so did Lee, hitting a leaning 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer from NBA range to give the Lady Tigers a 34-31 lead.

"I wasn't looking to shoot a 3. I was wanting to drive to the basket, but I ran out of time and threw it up," Lee said.

Lee finished with 12 points in the first 20 minutes and finished with 14.

"That's the natural Mac I've always seen play," Danis said. "She has the ability to take over a game. We've seen it a little this season, but she showed it today."

The Lady Tigers played a solid second half behind Danis' lead, as she finished with her first double-double of the season, 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Melly Heaton stretched the Campbellsville lead to seven points on a 3-point bucket with 17:16 left in the second half and Trevecca would make a 6-0 run to pull within one point, but it would be as close as they would come the rest of the way. The Lady Tigers used a 17-4 run to blow the game open over the next 9:02 and stretch their lead to 62-48. Danis capped off the run for Campbellsville by converting an old-fashioned three-point play. Campbellsville knocked down it's free throws down the stretch to secure the win, 75-57.

Megan Issacs also chimed in with a double-double 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"Megan Issacs was huge for us today. She finds a way to rebound the basketball and she finds a way to score. She's a gamer. She's a big time player," Colvin said. "It was a complete team effort today."

Shenita Gleaves scored 11 points off the bench for Trevecca, while Abby Lawson added 10 points.


Another record for Ballinger

Early in the second half Friday, Whitney Ballinger secured her fifth rebound of the game, breaking the single-season rebound record set by Betty Conover in 1978-79. She went on to posted an impressive performance once again, nearly posting back-to-back triple-doubles in the national tournament. She had 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks. Ballinger now holds the single-season records for rebounds (404) and blocks (140) and is 14 points away from the single-season scoring record.

Return to the Elite Eight

Colvin's win Friday came in her 100th game as head coach of the Lady Tigers and marked the program's first win over Trevecca Nazarene University and its head coach Gary Van Atta.

"You couldn't ask for more right now. We watched a tone of game film on Trevecca and we knew how to play them," Colvin said. "We beat a very good basketball team today. They came from a tremendous conference. They're record is 11 loses now, but you're talking about playing against Union, Freed-Hardeman and Bethel."

CU eight years removed from its last Elite Eight appearance in 2002. Colvin served as assistant coach for Donna Wise on four of the Lady Tigers' previous Elite Eight teams. This will be Colvin's first as head coach. CU (33-2) will meet Oklahoma City (31-3) in the Elite Eight at 2 p.m. CDT Saturday. The two also met in the 2000 Elite Eight.

"Following Coach Wise, clearly there's a ton of pressure to hold up to that tradition and we've been able to do that. I think we've got the talent to make a run," Colvin said. "We'll get everything we can possibly get on them and in 24 hours we will be prepared."


Complete coverage of Campbellsville's national tournament appearance can be found, here. Look for Richard RoBards' Day 5 entry in his Road To Jackson diary coming later today.

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