COLUMBIA, Ky. - Courtney Clifton stole the show Monday night in her last regular season game as a Lady Tiger. The senior contributed over half of CU's final score, clinching 38 points to help No. 16 Campbellsville University defeat the Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders, 75-62.
Coach Ginger Colvin thinks the team made some mistakes but stepped up big against the Mid-South Conference rival.
"We played silly some of the time," said Colvin. "We got in the double bonus way to early and let them get momentum. Lindsey Wilson is a rivalry, and it is always going to be a good game. It doesn't matter who gets a big lead early or not, they are still going to compete. Clifton shot the ball incredible and did big things for us today. It is nice to get that win going into the tournament."
The first few minutes of the game might as well have been a one-on-one match-up between Clifton and LWC member Ashley Rainey, each scoring the first eight and seven points for their teams, respectively. Both players would be instrumental over the course of the 40-minute contest.
The initial two Clifton baskets came on back-to-back 3-pointers, the first of many to come for the senior guard.
Clifton's scoring was awoken once again at 9:20 as the 87 percent free-throw shooter made two from the charity stripe. Only a minute later, she again nailed two back-to-back shots from behind the arc. Yet another two would follow in the period, for a total of six Clifton 3-point baskets, the last two of which were 25-footers.
Rainey on the other hand couldn't stay as hot as the CU guard. After her seven-point performance in the initial minutes, the 6-foot-2 senior fell silent until the three minute mark, which was deadly for Lindsey. In the midst of Rainey's cold period, Campbellsville went on a 24-4 run in 11 minutes, putting the Lady Tigers up by 21 (38-17).
Rainey finally got a basket to fall, along with seven other points for the Blue Raiders. Still, Campbellsville ended the half ahead 43-26, 22 of those points coming from Clifton.
LWC began the second period the same way it began their first, with Rainey holding the initial five points for the team. Mackenzie Lee was the first on the boards for CU, on a fast-break after a steal. The basket would be the first of 12 points for the guard in the half.
Four quick points from Lindsey's Jasmine Brimm and then a 3-point basket from Kasey Litizinger in the 15th minute quickly stole CU's comfortable lead, bringing it within single digits (47-38).
Clifton continued to stay hot, though, throwing up her seventh 3-pointer and making another two foul shots in response. Less than a minute later the Lexington, Ky., native made her final 3-pointer of the contest, tying CU's single-game record for the most 3-point baskets made (8).
Rainey was still just as significant for the Blue Raiders, having a perfect game from the free-throw line (12-of-12), grabbing 12 rebounds, and scoring 30 points. Still, her efforts weren't enough for Lady Tiger offense, Campbellsville taking hold of the victory for the ninth straight match-up between the teams.
Clifton's showing gave her a new career high (38) while also moving her up to 17th in the 1,000 point club. The guard totals 1,418 points in her three years of play at CU and is only one ranking below Colvin who managed 1,422 points in her college career.
Lee's 16-point performance gives her 1,416 total points and puts her at 18th in the all-time scoring record.
Junior guard Katie Allen had nine assists and zero turnovers in her 32 minutes of play.
The Lady Tigers are headed into the Mid-South Conference Tournament as a No. 3 seed and will begin the first round Thursday, Feb. 28 against sixth-seed University of the Cumberlands.
"It is going to be a tough tournament," said Colvin. "I've said all along that this is one of the best conferences in the country. We have all beat up on each other. I sincerely believe we have six teams that can compete in the national tournament."
Tip-off time is set at 8 p.m. EST and will be held in Frankfort, Ky., at the Frankfort Convention Center.
To follow the tournament, click here.
To follow the team, go to www.campbellsvilletigers.com.
