FRANKFORT, Ky. - Cumberland`s got the working margin it needed early
in the first half and eliminated the Lady Tigers from Mid-South
Conference Tournament play with a 77-64 win Saturday afternoon.
"You want to be disgusted," said Coach
Ginger Colvin, "but I just feel like we got beat by the better team today. You can't spot someone as good the Cumberlands 12 points and expect to beat them."
CU (20-12) never led in the contest, falling behind 13-6 early. Before you could bat an eyelash the Lady Tigers were facing a 28-16 deficit 15 minutes into the game.
Cumberlands hit three of its five first-half 3s during the span. They had eight for the game.
Campbellsville was able to close the gap to eight four minutes into the second half, but MSC Player of the Year, Lauren Wombles, scored five straight points to put out the fire. The Lady Patriots went on to score five more points before
Keisha Compton connected on a three-point play and
Daizah Kimberland sank a couple of free tosses.
"I'd have loved to have played them a better game," continued Colvin. "They're really smart. We did a lot of little thing OK, but we just didn't match their aggressiveness."
Junior
Mackenzie Lee joined the 1,000-Point Club, CU's 26th member, with her sixth point. She ended with 13 and now stands at 1,007.
Kimberland and Compton had nice games off the bench for the Lady Tigers. Kimberland came in and scored 12 and went to the boards for eight rebounds. Compton was solid with an 11-point game.
"We have to get more people playing with the same aggressiveness as Daizah," said Colvin. "We needed this experience. I just wish it wasn't a loss."
Cumberlands hit five more 3s than the Lady Tigers and connected on 49 percent of its shots to CU's 42. Campbellsville was 3-13 from 3 and U of C was 8-22.
Cumberland (27-3) had four players in double figures, led by Wombles' 23 points and seven boards. She was joined in double figures by Dace Bicane (11), Jade Howard (12) and Hailey Ratliff (10).
Lee's 13-point night, only two in the second half, led CU. Kimberland had 12, Compton 11 and
Katie Allen 10.
The Lady Tigers will now have to wait to see if they are awarded an NAIA National Tournament bid.
"I think we deserve it and, unless there are a ton of upsets, I think we will get in," said Colvin. "It will be nice to play someone out of conference."
Lady Tigers (64) - Clifton 5, Hellyer 4, Lee, 13, Allen 10, Compton 11, Kimberland 12, Jehlik 7, Isaacs 2. Totals 24-57 13-19 64.
Cumberlands (77) - Bicane 11, Alexander 9, Howard 12, Ratliff 10, Wombles 23, Upchurch 5, Moss 7. Totals 25-51 19-24 77.
Half-time - Cumberlands 39-27.
Three-point goals - Cumberlands 8-22 (Alexander 3, Wombles 1, Ratliff 2, Upchurch 1), Campbellsville 3-13 (Lee 2, Clifton 1).
Rebounds - Cumberlands 32 (Wombles 7, Bicane 6,), Campbellsville 33 (Kimberland 8, Jehlik 4, Isaacs 4, Lee 4).
Assists - Cumberlands 15 (Howard 8), Campbellsville 11 (Allen 5, Lee 2, Clifton 3).
Steals - Cumberlands 2, Campbellsville 4 (Isaacs 3).
