CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The #5 Lady Tigers played their last regular season game at home in Powell Athletic Center where they faced #2 Thomas More University. Campbellsville nearly brought the Saints to overtime, but lost 68-65.  
 
The last time these two top five teams met, Thomas More beat Campbellsville 72-56 at their house. Saturday afternoon, the Lady Tigers sought to even the score. The atmosphere in Powell was electric from the second the game started. Thomas More won the tip but shortly turned the ball over which gave the Lady Tigers their first possession. Shyla Calbert made a three pointer to put CU on the board first. CU then caused another turnover which resulted in a fast break layup for Ashley McGeorge. She had back-to-back layups and the Lady Tigers remained in the lead. TMU answered with a three-point basket and tied the game, and then took the lead on their next possession. The Saints had two consecutive baskets which gave them a four-point lead, 13-9. Sarah Sutton made a big three pointer bringing the Lady Tigers back within one point. The Saints were hot around the perimeter with back-to-back threes expanding their lead. In the final 12 seconds of the first quarter, Campbellsville took the ball out under the basket. Lauren Lee found an open Calbert who hit another huge three to end the quarter. The Saints had the lead 21-19.  
 
The second quarter started with a few turnovers for each team. Both teams were quiet scoring for the first two minutes of the quarter until Courtney Pritchett made an old fashion three-point play: a shot and the free throw. Pritchett sunk another basket which gave the Lady Tigers their advantage back at 24-23. TMU then hit back-to-back buckets and took the lead again. The Lady Tigers got back within one point with a big three from Sutton. The Saints answered that three with one of their own. To close out the first half, the Lady Tigers worked into their deficit and went into halftime down only three, 33-30.  
 
After the first half, both teams were in a relative deadlock in terms of shooting. The Lady Tigers shot 44% on field goals compared to Thomas More's 44.8%. The Lady Tigers were led by Calbert with eight points, Sutton with six, and Pritchett with five.  
 
The second half started, and Campbellsville was quiet offensively. Thomas More nailed back-to-back threes which gave them a nine-point lead in the first 90 seconds of the half. Ashley McGeorge scored the Lady Tiger's intial points of the half with a pair of free throws. CU then got a huge a defensive stop and McGeorge found herself at the stripe again making one of the two free throws. After a few unsuccessful scoring attempts for both teams, TMU made a three which gave them a 12-point buffer over the Lady Tigers. The next possession for the Lady Tigers resulted in an and-one and made free throw from Lee which brought the team back in a single-digit deficit. The Lady Tigers started to cut into the lead even more with defensive stops and getting to the basket. With two minutes left in the third quarter, Calbert found Lee open down in the post which resulted in another basket-and-one for Lee. McGeorge was dominant down in the post where she either made a basket or found herself at the free throw line. The third quarter came to an end with TMU up 51-47.  
 
The start of the fourth quarter was again quiet scoring wise but the action was still intense with both teams making several defensive stops. Halfway through the fourth, Pritchett hit a big three which brought Campbellsville within one point again. Then, the Lady Tigers took the lead back for the first time in the second half with a basket from Lee. The two teams stayed within one point of each other for a while. As time ticked down, The Lady Tigers fouled TMU and they found themselves on the free throw line making both free throws. The Lady Tigers tried to send the game into overtime with a last second shot but the ball rattled out of the rim. Campbellsville ended up falling to the Saints, 68-65.  
 
The Lady Tigers were led in scoring by McGeorge with 21 points and six rebounds. Following her was Lee with 15 points, Pritchett with 12, Calbert with eight, and Sutton with six. 
 
The Lady Tigers will be back in action at the Mid-South Conference tournament in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The tournament starts Thursday, February 24^th.