CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The #3 Lady Tigers hosted the Cumberland University Phoenix on Saturday. After keeping the score tied tight in the beginning stages of the game, Campbellsville jumped to victory, 73-49.
The Lady Tigers opened today's matchup with a three-pointer by Kaitlynn Wilks. The score remained pretty tight throughout the quarter, tying the score back and forth. Both teams' rebounds prevented each other from getting ahold of the upper hand, continuously exchanging control over the lead. However, with an eight-point, Campbellsville took the lead and went into the second quarter on the winning end of the scoreboard, 17-10.
The second quarter came to a slow start. Campbellsville made the first points with Rachel Presley and Tyra Flowers at the charity stripe. The game came to a scoring halt for the next few minutes until the Phoenix landed a jumper in their favor. Much like the beginning of the quarter, neither team made successful shots at the basket. Racking up rebound after rebound, the tension on the court kept the scoring plays low. With only a couple of minutes left in the first half, Kayla Luebbe and Maddy Boyle scored fierce jumpers for the Lady Tigers. Although Cumberland attempted to retaliate, Campbellsville remained in the lead, 28-20.
At the half, both teams remained relatively close in most statistical factors of the contest. However, to their demise, the Phoenix collected significantly more turnovers (17) compared to the Lady Tigers (eight). On the other hand, Campbellsville racked up 16 bench points, while Cumberland had zero. The Lady Tigers also surpassed the Phoenix in close range to the rim, collecting 10 points to their two.
In the opening seconds of the third quarter, Cumberland landed the first basket of the second half. Shortly after, Lauren Lee went two-for-two at the free-throw line, expanding Campbellsville's advantage. The game continued to unfold with low-scoring action, and the Lady Tigers firmly preserved their advantage. The Phoenix collected a few layups, decreasing their deficit on the score, but not enough to reach Campbellsville's 10-point lead. With one minute left in the quarter, Boyle scored back-to-back three-point buckets, propelling the Lady Tigers forward going into the last quarter. At the end of the third, Campbellsville led 51-35.
Wilks landed a layup in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, followed by Courtney Pritchett's first three-point basket of the contest, aided by Lee's first assist. Halfway through the last quarter, Flowers' avid offensive rebounds resulted in a layup for the Lady Tigers. With less than two minutes left in the contest, Cumberland's attempts to retaliate proved their significant offensive boost in the quarter, landing basket after basket to get closer to Campbellsville's upper hand. Bree Gowdy came off the bench with a fierce three-point bucket in the last 15 seconds of the game, closing the contest with a Lady Tiger victory, 73-49.
Campbellsville outperformed Cumberland in most statistical categories of the game. Most significantly, the Lady Tigers collected 7-of-15 (46.7%) from the three-point line compared to their 4-of-14 (28.6%), more than doubled them with their rotation of 36 bench points to their 12 and 19 steals to their nine, and tripled them with 30 points in the paint to their 10. Three Lady Tigers reached double digits throughout today's game: Luebbe with 15 points, Boyle with 13, and Hay with 10.
The Lady Tigers will be back in action, hosting the University of the Cumberlands Patriots on Thursday, February 8th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
