JACKSON, Tenn. -- For the second-straight year, Campbellsville University's dream of the NAIA Fab Four fell short in a contested NAIA Quarterfinal in Oman Arena. The Lady Tigers rallied from a 23-point deficit to cut the game within two points, 62-60, but were unable to close the gap in a 79-74 loss to Freed-Hardeman University.

 
Campbellsville's season comes to an end with a 30-4 record in their seventh NAIA quarterfinal appearance. Freed-Hardeman advances to its third Fab Four and will meet Azusa Pacific University on Monday at 8 p.m. CDT.



"We were so rattled the first half. I don't know why. We're a senior oriented club. We couldn't get anything going offensively or defensively and it was just frustrating to be honest with you. When we finally did make a run, I felt good about it. This is a group that comes back, I don't know how many times before. We cut it and got to two but just couldn't get over that hump," CU head coach Ginger Colvin said. "I feel like I let them down. I feel like there was something I could have changed or done to help propel them there (Fab Four). They're such great basketball players and great kids."

Freed jumped out to a 12-0 lead, with eight points from 2011 WBCA NAIA Player of the Year, Meribeth Boehler. Mackenzie Lee scored the Lady Tigers' first points of the game after six minutes of play, but it was another three before CU scored again on an and-one play by Courtney Clifton.

Freed-Hardeman led by 15 most of the first half, leading by as many as 17 once. Clifton hit a 3 with 40 seconds left in the opening period to cut the difference to 39-25 at the half. CU's closest margin in the first half was 10 points, 21-11, after Whitney Ballinger hit a 3 for her only points of the half.

Campbellsville started out slow in the second half also, falling behind by 23 points, 48-25, in the first three minutes, but slowly chipped away at the Lady Lions' lead.

Melly Heaton hit a 3 with 8:54 to play to work the margin into single digits, 54-45, for the first time since the 16:42 mark of the first half. Defensively, Campbellsville shut down Boehler to start the second half, holding her scoreless until she connected on a basket with 7:30 to play to keep the game at 10 points. The fullcourt press was the main reason, according to Colvin.

"We pressed, and I thought she got tired. We planed to press in the first half, but Megan (Isaacs) came out early with two fouls, and she’s really our best defender when it comes to doubling. We weren’t able to get anything going early for us. That was a turning point in the game, but we still made a good effort," Colvin said.

Isaacs answered Boehler's bucket though with a 3 that cut the difference to seven, 59-52, and sparked a defensive rally that nearly changed the game. Heaton collected back-to-back steals on in-bounds passes that led to a Mackenzie Lee layup and one of her own, cutting the margin to a basket, 59-56. Moments later, after the Lady Tiger D forced a shot clock violation on the Lions, Heaton lofted a backdoor pass to Ballinger to make it 62-60 with 3:42 to play.

Boehler awoke to score eight of Freed-Hardeman's final 17 points, including going 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the final minutes, to finish with a tournament-high 35 points.

Trailing by six with :43 left, Ballinger had a 3-point try partially blocked, but ruled out of bounds on the Lady Tigers, giving FHU the ball. After a pair of free throws, the Lions' lead grew to eight and didn't get smaller until Clifton hit a 3 with two seconds to play, giving her 17 points in the game.

Courtney Danis, CU's fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,833 points, hit three free throws in the final minute to push her past Colvin's college roommate Beck Smith for the career record for free throws made (482). The game was her 135th in a Lady Tiger uniform, passing Kristin Patton for the most career games played. Danis also holds the record for most points by a freshman (527), set in 2007-08. Earlier this year, she became the fourth Lady Tiger to be named All-Conference each of her four years.

"That's a big honor," Colvin said of the free throw record. "Becky was one of the most pure shooters and scorers we ever had. Courtney's so hard nosed and gets to the free throw line. It's bittersweet. I hate for her to pass Becky, but I think she'll be OK knowing that it was Courtney Danis that did it."

Danis is one of six CU seniors who make up the Lady Tigers' most decorated senior class with a long list of accomplishments: 108 wins to 27 loses, three Mid-South Conference regular season titles, one MSC Tournament title, three NAIA Tournament appearances, back-to-back 30-win seasons and back-to-back NAIA quarterfinal appearances, to name a few. Joining Danis are Whitney Ballinger, Melly Heaton, T.J. Thomas, Alexia Williams and Millie Deason.

"They'll all be winners in life, because they've been such winners for us. They've been an outstanding group. I've been really blessed," Colvin said. of her seniors. "

Ballinger finishes her 103-game career in third-place on the Lady Tigers' all-time scoring list with 2,064 points. She's also fourth all-time in rebounds with 1,083 and holds the team record for blocks in a career (367). During her NAIA Player of the Year campaign last season, Ballinger set single season records for points (813), rebounds (422) and blocks (143) in addition to single-game records for points (48), rebounds (28) and blocks (11).

Heaton is also a member of the Lady Tigers' 1,000-point club, collecting 1,084 career points for 25th-place all-time. She is second all-time in 3-pointers made (243) and in 3-pointers attempted (705). She also shares a tie of the single-game record for made 3s with eight.



In addition to game day coverage, CU Sports Information Assistant, and Lady Tiger travel companion, Richard RoBards, will keep fans updated from the NAIA DI Women's Basketball Tournament with his diary log. Complete tournament coverage of Lady Tiger Basketball can be found, here.