CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — For just the second time this season, Lady Tiger basketball returns to the Powell Athletic Center as No. 6 Campbellsville hosts Simmons College of Kentucky. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
 
TV and radio coverage will be available on WLCU-TV (Comcast 10) and 88.7 The Tiger and the Tunein Radio App. In addition, online video is available at www.campbellsvilletigers.com/watch. Matt Payton begins his first year as the Voice of Tiger and Lady Tiger Basketball and his coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m.
 
Coach Ginger Colvin has scheduled one of the toughest regular season slates in program history by playing six games against ranked or receiving votes opponents and playing in three different classics for seven of their eight contests. CU is coming off its first loss of the year, a 56-49 heartbreaker to No. 3 Freed-Hardeman on Saturday.

CU went frigid cold from the floor in the final 6:44 of the fourth quarter and could not complete the comeback over the Lions. With 6:44 left, Lexxus Graham picked up a steal and found Savannah Gregory for a fast break layup cutting the Freed-Hardeman lead to two, 44-42. But that was the final field goal for Campbellsville until Jordan Doram scored with 12 seconds remaining.

Freed-Hardeman finished the game by doubling-up the Lady Tigers with a 14-7 run. Gregory paced Campbellsville with 14 points and recorded a new career-high with nine rebounds. Carrie Hatchel led the Lady Lions with 13 points, while Kim Mallory was held to six points but grabbed a game-high 10 boards.
 
Gregory earns another honor
After being named the MSC Women's Basketball Player of the Week two weeks ago, redshirt freshman Savannah Gregory paced CU once again in the toughest regular season tournament in the country. Gregory averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in each of the two games. In the 68-59 win over Montana State-Northern, Gregory scored a career-high 19 points. Against Freed-Hardeman, Gregory grabbed a career-high nine boards. Defensively, Gregory recorded five steals and helped CU force 37 turnovers in the two games.
 
Same start as 2016-17, same finish?
Many people believe it's not how you start, it's how you finish. Last season Campbellsville went into the Jackson Rotary Classic with an undefeated record but lost to No. 1 Westmont in the finale - pretty familiar to this year's loss to No. 3 Freed-Hardeman. But it was a run late in the season that made last year special, as CU would rally off three straight wins over Top 25 opponents in the NAIA Championship to reach the second Fab Four in program history. Coach Ginger Colvin always schedules tough opponents early in the season and has already played six of their eight games against ranked or receiving votes opponents. Does that pay off down the line? It sure has in the past.
 
Scouting the Simmons Falcons
Simmons is a provisional member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) as it's in the first year of varsity athletics for the institution. The Falcons have started the year 0-4 and have played common opponents with Campbellsville.

Playing with only six student-athletes on the roster, Simmons has not scored more than 30 points in a game this season and its biggest loss came to NAIA DII opponent IU Southeast, 121-17. The Falcons also lost last Tuesday to Lindsey Wilson, 99-29. Leading the Falcons individually is Diamond White, scoring 45 points in the four games. White also leads the rebounding effort with 19 total rebounds on the year.