BILLINGS, Mont. — Head coach Ginger Colvin may have said it best in her post-game speech to her club, it wasn't one person, it was a team, and she is correct. the Lady Tigers received major contributions from their starting five and bench players tonight in an upset win over previously undefeated and No. 1 Freed-Hardeman University, 73-70.
 
The win advances Campbellsville (28-6) to its second-ever Fab Four appearance and the second in three years. The Lady Tigers will meet Oklahoma City University on Monday, March 20, at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT at RimRock Auto Arena at Metra Park.

The loss for Freed-Hardeman ends its year with a record of 35-1 and it is the second time in three years Campbellsville has ended the Lady Lions season (2015).
   
Senior Emily Fox led the Lady Tigers with 20 points and hit four 3-point baskets. The four 3s pushes her tournament total to 13 – the most for any player thus far through the first three rounds.

Lexxus Graham was the x-factor, though. Graham, a junior from Winchester, Ky., came off the bench and sparked CU with defense and the long ball. She scored 16 points – making four 3s and drilling all four free throws. The biggest of them all came with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter and the shot clock buzzer sounding, to put CU up 65-57.

Madison Clements added the ninth 3, as he Lady Tigers knocked down 9-of-16 (56%) from deep. In addition, Madison Stewart has been a force for the Lady Tigers using her quickness to take forwards off the dribble. She pitched in 14 points and also made all four free throws.
 
Overall the biggest stat - the Lady Tigers hit all 18 charity stripe attempts and has now hit 54-of-59 in the tournament (91.5%).
 
Game flow:
If nerves were to play a factor tonight, it did not show for Campbellsville. The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and ended up never trailing or being tied the entire night.

Freed-Hardeman did not score until the 4:10 mark after a Kim Mallory scored one of her 14 points - two below her season average.
 
The Lady Lions weathered the storm early and went on a 9-0 run to bring the score to 10-9 before Stewart connected on a pair of and-one opportunities to put CU ahead, 18-13, at the end of the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, Madison Kaiser sparked CU with her lone two points – a jumper with the shot clock running low – to put CU ahead, 20-13. Kaiser was the spark CU needed in the first half after foul trouble haunted Abby Miller and Jordan Doram. Kaiser picked up a team-high four rebounds in the first half and heckled FHU's leading scorer Taleeah Cross at the top of the Lady Tigers twilight zone.
 
Fox made one of her four 3s and added a layup to give the Lady Tigers another double-figure lead, 25-15. CU then went ahead by its largest margin of 15 points, 33-18, with Doram, Fox and Graham all hitting a pair of free throws and Madison Clements hitting a mid-range jumper. But Campbellsville did not score in the final 3:05 of the first half and Freed-Hardeman made a 9-0 run, cutting the lead to six, 33-27, at the break.
 
Fearing the Lady Lions had the momentum, Campbellsville did not falter in the second half. Clements and Miller both scored buckets to push CU's lead back to double-digits, 37-27, but once again, the top-ranked team in the county would not go down without a fight. And a fight it was for the final 15 minutes.

The Lady Lions went on another big run, 10-2, cutting the lead to three, 42-39, with 4:47 left in the third quarter. But Campbellsville weathered the storm this time. With the score now 44-42, Stewart got free in the lane for a bucket and Graham stepped up to nail her second 3.
 
The final 12 minutes was nip-and-tuck all the way until the final buzzer. CU pushed its lead back to seven points, 54-47, to end the third quarter, but Graham nailed another triple with 7:10 to put CU ahead, 59-49.

Graham put CU ahead, 65-57, by nailing her fourth triple with the shot clock expiring but FHU had one final attempt. The Lady Lions went on a 19-10 run and cut the deficit one, 69-68, after Tiffany Pate scored to of her 13 points of an offensive rebound.

The Lady Tigers were beat on the boards, 36-27, but allowed 18 offensive rebounds and 15 second change points. CU had five offensive boards and did not have a second chance basket.
 
Freed-Hardeman had a pair of chances but Mallory and Pate both missed layups in the lane and Stewart cleared the board for CU. Clements was fouled and made both free throws to put CU ahead, 71-68. With eight seconds left, Cross scored cutting the lead to one, 71-70, but Emily Fox stepped up and made the 17^th and 18^th freebies.

The Lady Lions had a chance at the end but Cross missed a 3 and Carrie Hatchel, FHU's leading scorer of the night with 18, was unable to convert on a layup.
 
Campbellsville now extends its NAIA Tournament record to 29-24 overall and is making its second appearance in the NAIA Fab Four. The Lady Tigers have appeared a NAIA-record 25 total time in the national tournament.
 
For complete information on the entire NAIA Tournament trip for Campbellsville, check out the tournament page linked above.