Women's Basketball 3-14-18

Women's Basketball Jordan Alves

Madison Clements lights up the nets for 32 points in CU's first round win over Faulkner

Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. — Madison Clements was outstanding all game for one-seed Campbellsville but a run of back-to-back-to-back threes from the senior with around two minutes left in the third quarter broke open the game, as the Lady Tigers defeated eight-seed Faulkner University 79-63 in the first round of the 2018 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
 
Before those threes, Faulkner was threatening to pull a stunning upset, trailing just 43-39. After Clements' strikes from distance, CU went ahead, 52-42, and the Eagles never got closer.
 
Even earlier in the game, the upset looked a distinct reality. Faulkner out-scored Campbellsville 15-10 in the second frame as the Lady Tigers hit only 3-of-17 from the floor but led, 28-27, at halftime.
 
Starting the second half, the Eagles went on a 7-2 run early in the period to take a two-point lead with 7:29 on the clock.
 
The anticipation of an upset soon dissipated thanks to Clements. She went 4-of-4 from 3-point land in the third quarter, scoring 14 points in those 10 minutes alone. She finished with a career-high 32 points, shooting 6-7 from behind the arc, and added five rebounds.
 
Outside of Clements, Campbellsville's win was all about the defense. The top team in the nation in steals per game hung right around their season averages with 15 steals and forced 19 turnovers. They also limited Faulkner's potent long-range offense, which ranks third in the country in 3-point field goals made per game, limiting the Eagles to 6-29 shooting from distance.
 
The win advances the Lady Tigers beyond the first round of the national tournament for the fifth straight year. They have reached at least the quarterfinals in each of the last four seasons and played in two the last three Fab Fours.
 
Overall, in the past two games, Clements has totaled 54 points after scoring 22 points vs. No. 1 Shawnee State in the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship game two weeks ago. Clements, the WBCA All-American Honorable Mention, now has 1,156 career points.
 
The Lady Tigers struggled from the floor overall, hitting 20-of-58 but CU shot the most free throws in a game since 2014, hitting 31-of-43 (72%).
 
Campbellsville (29-5) also out-rebounded Faulkner, 52-39. The 52 rebounds are also the most in a game since CU grabbed 53 vs. Talladega College on Nov. 12, 2016. In addition, the Lady Tigers dished out 18 assists on 20 field goals, as Caitlin Hall and Lauren Turner both finished with five.
 
The Lady Tigers get back in action on Friday, March 16, at 12:45 p.m. ET against the winner of Montana Western University or Dillard University – which was playing right after CU's this afternoon in Billings.
 
In addition to coverage of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, CU Sports Information and Radio Crews, Richard RoBards, Matt Payton and Zach Clements, will keep fans updated with periodic behind-the-scenes feature stories on www.campbellsvilletigers.com and photo galleries on Facebook at Campbellsville Tigers. You can also follow the Tigers on Twitter at  @LTB_CU and @CvilleTigers.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Madison Clements

#5 Madison Clements

G
5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Clementsville, Tenn.
Caitlin Hall

#20 Caitlin Hall

G
5' 5"
Sophomore
Stanford, Ky.
Lauren Turner

#4 Lauren Turner

G
5' 7"
Senior
Gamaliel, Ky.

Players Mentioned

Madison Clements

#5 Madison Clements

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Clementsville, Tenn.
G
Caitlin Hall

#20 Caitlin Hall

5' 5"
Sophomore
Stanford, Ky.
G
Lauren Turner

#4 Lauren Turner

5' 7"
Senior
Gamaliel, Ky.
G