BILLINGS, Mont. — For the fourth-straight year and the 11th time in program history, Lady Tiger basketball is playing in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Tournament Quarterfinal.

Three-seeded Campbellsville meets overall No. 1-seed Freed-Hardeman on Saturday evening. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. MT at the Rimrock Auto Arena at Metra Park.
 
Fans can follow the action on the Campbellsville University Sports Network, 88.7 The Tiger, as Matt Payton will have the radio call starting at 5:45 ET.
 
In addition, the NAIA Network – the association's official video streaming home – will broadcast the first 30 games leading up to the championship final on ESPN3. The video platform, powered by Stretch Internet, allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while an all-tournament package is available at $29.95.

Campbellsville is joined by rival and Mid-South Conference foe Lindsey Wilson College in the quarterfinal round for the second-straight season. The Blue Raiders defeated Martin Methodist, 63-52, and Central Methodist, 89-72.

The MSC and Golden State Athletic Conference are the lone two with multiple teams in the quarterfinal round. Vanguard and Westmont are both still alive as well.

There is no team remaining in the field from last year's Fab Four. The only teams that played in the quarterfinal round last season and are still in the running this year are: Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson and Lewis-Clark State College.

Schedule for today:
4ET – Lindsey Wilson vs. Oklahoma City
6ET – Campbellsville vs. Freed-Hardeman
8ET – Lewis-Clark State vs. Westmont
10ET – William Woods vs. Vanguard


Campbellsville (27-6) vs. Freed-Hardeman (35-0) Scouting Report:
 
The Lady Tigers and Lions are meeting for the eighth time in program history, with Campbellsville winning four. The last meeting between the two came in the 2015 NAIA DI Women's Basketball National Tournament Fab Four, when CU upset then-No. 1 seed Freed-Hardeman for their first trip to the national title game.

The Lady Tigers have now qualified for 25 NAIA Tournaments – the most by any team surpassing former NAIA program Union University. CU is bringing in a 28-24 record to Saturday.

Freed-Hardeman – the American Midwest Conference regular-season and tournament champions – has not lost since falling to eventual national champion MidAmerica Nazarene, 59-51, in the second round last season. But since the Dakstats era, no team has ever run the table in regular and post season play to win the championship.

The Lions are making their 21st all-time and 21st-consecutive national championship appearance, which is the longest active appearance streak in Division I women's basketball. Despite the tremendous success, Freed-Hardeman is still chasing that illusive first national title. The Lions have reached at least the semifinals in four of the last six seasons, including a runner-up finish in 2014.
 
Head coaches Dale Neal and Ginger Colvin are also both in the Top 14 for most wins by an active head coach. Neal brings in a 639-171 record, while Colvin carries a 272-71 record.
 
The Lions are led by Taleeah Cross, who averages 17.1 points per game and is shooting 40 percent from 3. She's flanked by Kim Mallory's 16.8 points per game and nine boards a contest. Outside of the top two scorers, there is not another Lion scoring in double-figures. Cross scored just seven points vs. Rocky Mountain College in the NAIA opener but came back with 22 vs. The Master's in the Round of 16. Mallory has led the Lions thus far with 19 points for Rocky Mountain and 29 vs. The Master's.

FHU boasts the perfect 35-0 record and ranks No. 1 in scoring margin per game at 24.4 points. But the Lions have had close calls as of late, defeating Lyon College, 89-87, in the AMC title game in overtime. Overall, Freed-Hardeman has played in five overtime games this season, winning all five.

The Lady Tigers are led by Emily Fox's 14.7 points per game. She has buried nine 3s in her first two tournament games – four in the opening game vs. Talladega and five in Friday's win over two-seeded Baker. She now has 245 made 3s in her career – ranking her No. 2 in Lady Tiger history.

Madison Stewart has been a force in the paint for CU. Her ability to spread the floor and beat defenders off the dribble has played crucial in the Lady Tigers success. Stewart has scored 17 and 16 points, respectively in the first two tournament games and has dropped double-figures in 10 of the last 11.

How the teams got here:
 
Campbellsville 84, Talladega 75
The Lady Tigers defeated Talladega College on Wednesday in the opening round, 84-75. Jordan Doram led CU with 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting, while lefty Madison Stewart was a force in the paint by matching a season-high 17 points. Emily Fox hit Campbellsville's lone 3s of the day with four and finished with 15 points. Lauren Turner distributed the ball the best she has all year, dishing out a career-high 10 assists.
 
The Lady Tigers outshot Talladega by hitting 55.6 percent (31-of-56) from the floor compared to 45.7 percent (27-of-59) by the Tornados. CU also made 85 percent from the free throw line (18-of-21) compared to 57.8 percent for TC (11-of-19).

Campbellsville 73, Baker 56
Lady Tiger basketball hit 51 percent from the floor and held Baker University to 38 percent, downing the Wildcats, 73-56.

For the second straight game, Emily Fox got hot from deep and never cooled. She drilled five 3-point baskets – a total of nine in two games – and led CU with 19 points. Madison Stewart, Jordan Doram and Abby Miller all grabbed five boards a piece to lead CU, while Stewart pitched in 16 points – one off her number from Wednesday vs. Talladega.
 
Campbellsville held the Heart of American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Kelsey Larson, to only seven points on 1-of-4 shooting. She and Mackenzie Cook, the second leading scorer for the Wildcats combined for only 13 points and both fouled out in the final five minutes.

Freed-Hardeman 62, Rocky Mountain 52
Kim Mallory paced the Lady Lion attack with a double-double, as she put up 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds while shooting a 50 percent clip from the field. Carrie Hatchel followed close behind with 18 points, as she went 6-for-11 from behind the arc to keep the Lady Lions in control down the stretch. Sandrea Sylman also reached double digits and rounded out the scoring for the Lady Lions with 11 points.
 
Freed-Hardeman (34-0) shot 41 percent from the field in the game compared to Rocky Mountain College (13-19), who shot 28 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the arc.

Freed-Hardeman 79, The Master's 58
Overall No. 1 seed Freed-Hardeman outscored No. 5 The Master's, 20-7, in the second quarter on the way to a second-round 79-58 victory.

The Lady Lions played the second half like they did the second quarter, controlling boards, forcing turnovers and turning those turnovers into points. Freed-Hardeman built on their double-digit lead, powered by a 68.8 percent field goal percentage in the third quarter. At the 4:26 mark of the fourth quarter, the Lady Lions led by 26 points their largest lead of the game.

Kim Mallory led Freed-Hardeman with 28 points and 19 rebounds – her 13th double-double of the year. The 19 rebounds ties a 2017 championship single-game high, set in the first round by Cubello. Taleeah Cross scored 22 points with seven assists. Only one Lady Lion player did not score.

The winner of today's matchup will head to the NAIA DI Women's Basketball National Tournament Fab Four, presented by Wells Fargo. The Fab Four is scheduled to start on Monday, March 20.