FRANKFORT, Ky. – Campbellsville University women's basketball went on a 34-9 run in a 16-minute span and outlasted a Xavier (La.) run in the second half to continue its run the NAIA Divison I Women's Basketball National Championships, defeating the Gold Nuggets, 59-55.
Campbellsville (32-3) advances to the program's eighth national quarterfinal and will face second-seed Oklahoma City University (24-4) for the eighth time in program history Saturday at 4 p.m. EDT in the Frankfort Convention Center.
Campbellsville seemed to play the same song it did on Wednesday night against Southern Poly. In that game the Lady Tigers went on a 38-11 run in a 16-minute span to win its first-round game.
Xavier cut the lead to six points three separate times in the second half and was able to cut it down to four points on a 3-pointer by Whitney Garthright but it was too little too late for the Gold Nuggets.
"I am thrilled," said CU Coach Ginger Colvin. "We just beat a crazy athletic team that we did not get to scout very much. We had the team in the hotel room last night watching one small TV and they came out focused and ready to go. I can see it in their eyes that they want this and it was a great team effort."
With 2:16 left and the shot clock at one second, Caroline Owen hit her second 3-pointer to push the Lady Tigers out in front by nine points.
Campbellsville finished strong down the stretch by picking up timely offensive rebounds and extending possessions to run the clock down.
Katie Allen led the Lady Tigers with 15 points, Ellen Sholtes and Kristen Jacob (tied career-high) both pitched in with 10 points to round out CU in double-figures.
"That was such a huge 3-pointer by Caroline," said Colvin. "That's just our team. You never know who is going to step up for us in games, and today showed that with four or five girls stepping up at different times. It's difficult for teams to guard us because they never know who to key on. Our rebounding down the stretch was solid, and we were able to put a body on them in key moments of the game."
Just like Wednesday night, the Lady Tigers struggled in the opening minutes of the first half and didn't hit a field goal until the 14:30 mark on a high-low pass from Hayley Hellyer to Kristen Jacob. Xavier started on an 11-2 run forcing Colvin to call her first timeout but the CU bench entered the game and weathered the storm.
Campbellsville's reserves scored six of the first 11 points and gave the Lady Tigers a huge spark.
Although the second group stepped up on the offensive end, it was the defensive pressure that made a difference. They held the Gold Nuggets without a point for over five minutes and gave the CU starters something to build on.
"With the athleticism and quickness from Xavier, it was hard to adjust," said Colvin. "Our second group got a chance to watch the game and see how fast they play. They did a great job getting us back in it and played well all day."
Campbellsville's starting five came back in at the 10:38 mark and made their presence felt the second time around.
Katie Allen has stepped up the previous few games when her team needed a lift and she did so once again Friday. The senior drained two 3-pointers and gave the Lady Tigers their first lead, 16-14, at the 9:20 mark.
CU went on a 29-9 run to end the first half after Allen sank another 3-pointer, leading the Lady Tigers with 11 points at halftime. Jacob gave Campbellsville a huge lift off the bench, scoring five points in the first 20 minutes.
"Katie is a senior and she has stepped up in many games for us," said Colvin. "Her first half was unbelievable and provided a spark when we were struggling to score."
The Lady Tigers jumped out to its biggest lead of 15 points, 37-22, in the second half, but went on a three-plus minute scoring drought.
After Xavier was able to cut the lead to 39-33, Allen drilled her fourth 3-pointer to put the Lady Tigers back up by double-digits, 44-33, with 7:58 left.
CU managed to hold off the second-half push by the Gold Nuggets, even as Whitney Garthright hit two baskets with less than 11 seconds to play to pull within four points. Although, the late run by Xavier, Colvin did not get nervous down the stretch like the 200-plus Lady Tiger faithful filling the Civic Center.
"I wasn't nervous at all," Colvin said. "I feel good about them and they are just playing as a team. It is such a great thing to watch."
Gathright led Xavier with 19 points, followed by a career-high 17 points from Danielle Tucker and 15 from Whitney Gaston-Loyd.
Campbellsville is in its 22nd overall NAIA National Tournament, with Colvin being involved with 21 of those as a player or coach. The Lady Tigers extend their win streak to nine-games, while Xavier ends its season after building a seven-game win streak, including a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship.
Saturday's matchup against Oklahoma City will be a rematch of CU's last 2010 NAIA quarterfinal apperance. Coach Colvin says her team is not finished and is ready for #OneMore. CU beat OCU, 69-51, during the second round of the 1998 national tournament, but has since lost six straight against the Stars including the 2000 and 2010 quarterfinals.
"They are a powerhouse program in the Sooner Athletic Conference," said Colvin. "But they are in our way and we want to get them out of our way. We have both scouted each other and I feel like we are such a hard group to guard. I am excited to see how we matchup up with them."
You can follow the game on WLCUFM.com and 88.7 FM in Campbellsville.
In addition to our game releases, Lady Tiger travel companion Richard RoBards is writing a daily diary for a behind-the-scenes look at the NAIA DI WBB National Tournament. You can find the CU Tournament central page and diaries, HERE!
You can also follow Lady Tiger Basketball on Twitter - @LTB_CU and @CvilleTigers. Also on Facebook - Campbellsville Lady Tiger Basketball.
