CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Redshirt freshman Savannah Gregory dropped a career-high 19 points vs. No. 21 Montana State-Northern to lead No. 6 Campbellsville past the Skylights, 68-59, in Game 1 of the Jackson Rotary Classic.
 
Campbellsville improves to 7-0 and will finish the Classic with a 5 p.m. ET tipoff vs. No. 3 Freed-Hardeman University – a rematch of last year's NAIA quarterfinal game, when CU upset then-No. 1 and undefeated FHU advancing to the Fab Four for the second time in three years.
 
Last year, Savannah Gregory had to sit on the sideline but tonight it was her time to shine. The freshman from Scottsville, Ky. hit 8-of-12 overall and grabbed a career-high six rebounds. She also tied Lexxus Graham for the team lead with three steals and CU finished with 15 as a team and forced 19 Skylight turnovers, scoring 18 points, and only committed six turnovers themselves.
 
Campbellsville used its post presence and took advantage of the absence of Montana State-Northern's top scorer and rebounder, Shilo McCormick who was out with an injury, to out-score the Skylights in the paint, 44-20.
 
CU struggled from the floor overall and that allowed Montana State-Northern to rally in the fourth quarter and stick around. The Lady Tigers hit just 36 percent from the floor (23-of-63), while the Skylights finished hitting 47 percent (22-of-47).
 
But Campbellsville hit a season-high 90 percent from the free throw line (18-of-20), while the Skylights shot 58 percent (7-of-12). The Skylights also hit six 3-pointers in the second half to rally, while CU was unable to dial any up from downtown missing both opportunities.
 
In the first quarter, it was all CU. The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 10-point lead, 17-7, after Caitlin Hall scored her only two points on the night. But that was all CU could muster the rest of the quarter and led by seven after a 3 by MSNU's Peyton Filius, 17-10.
 
Gregory ended a five-minute scoring drought for CU with a layup to put the Lady Tigers ahead, 21-12. Then just a few moments later Lexxus Graham drained two free throws for CU's only four points through the first five minutes of the second stanza.
 
Jordan Doram scored two consecutive baskets and Madison Clements drilled a 3 and made two free throws to cap a quick 9-4 run and pushed the Lady Tigers ahead by their largest margin, 30-19 with 2:19 left in the half.
 
Doram put CU ahead by 12 with a pair of free throws at the 1:24 mark and Madison Kaiser drained a triple with time expiring in the half pushing CU out in front by its largest margin, 35-22.
 
In the second half, the Lady Tigers came out on fire. CU started the half on a 6-0 run and led by 19 points, 41-22. The advantage would come back to 13-14 points the rest of the quarter and gave the Skylights a little glimmer of hope.
 
Gregory scored the first two points in the fourth quarter to put CU ahead, 57-42, but Montana State-Northern whittled that lead to single-digits in the final few minutes before CU could hang on for the win.
 
Without their leading scorer, the Skylights only played seven players and CU used its depth to its advantage. The Lady Tigers played 11 total players with eight playing 14 minutes or more and CU's bench out-scored the Skylights 29-4.
 
Campbellsville will look to sweep the Classic as the Lady Tigers face Freed-Hardeman on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. Radio coverage starts at 4:45 p.m.