LEBANON, Tenn. – The #3 Campbellsville University Lady Tigers took to the road on Thursday night and used efficient shooting and a dominant interior defense to secure a 67-55 Mid-South Conference victory over the Cumberland University Phoenix.
- Four Lady Tigers scored in double figures: Lainey Johnson led the way with 16 points (6-of-10 shooting), followed by Whitney Hay (13), Hallie Allen (11), and Dea Bradley (11).
- Tyra Flowers filled the stat sheet, leading Campbellsville with eight rebounds and four steals while adding seven points.
- The Lady Tigers controlled the interior, outscoring Cumberland 30-18 in the paint and recording nine blocks compared to the Phoenix's one. Abby Gilbert led the defensive wall with three blocks.
- Campbellsville shot an impressive 53.2% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range, while holding Cumberland to just 34.0% shooting.
- Tonight's game marked the Lady Tigers' 27th consecutive victory against the Phoenix, dating back to 2013.
- The Lady Tigers will remain on the road, traveling to Williamsburg, Kentucky, to battle the University of the Cumberlands Patriots on Saturday, January 24th, beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Campbellsville wasted no time asserting its dominance. After an early defensive stop by
Dea Bradley,
Tyra Flowers opened the scoring with a layup assisted by
Whitney Hay. The Phoenix struggled to handle Campbellsville's pressure early, committing turnovers that the Lady Tigers converted into a quick 6-0 run. However, the Phoenix bench responded, attacking the paint to tie the score at 10-10 and briefly taking a 14-12 lead.
Lainey Johnson immediately answered, reclaiming the lead for Campbellsville with a clutch three-pointer.
Abby Gilbert provided crucial rim protection late in the period, recording two blocks to help the Lady Tigers take a 17-14 lead into the second quarter.
Hay became an offensive force in the second quarter, converting steals into transition points and scoring back-to-back layups to spark a run. The Phoenix refused to go away, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on offensive rebounds to trim the deficit to 24-18. However,
Paige Serafini connected from deep, and
Hallie Allen added a jumper to preserve the gap. The Lady Tigers entered the locker room with a 31-25 advantage.
From the opening of the second half, Gilbert and Flowers anchored the defense, rejecting Phoenix shot attempts and fueling the transition game. Campbellsville's offensive momentum surged as the game unfolded, as they forced turnovers and capitalized on open looks. Although Cumberland managed a 7-0 run highlighted by perimeter shooting, the Lady Tigers responded emphatically. Johnson and Allen drained three-pointers in the final minute of the period, extending the lead to double digits. Despite Cumberland finding success at the free-throw line, Campbellsville entered the final stanza with a commanding 52-38 lead.
Johnson and Hay opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-pointers, pushing the lead to its largest margin of the night. Cumberland's Emaleigh Tarpley converted nine free throws in the game to keep the Phoenix from falling further behind, but the Lady Tigers' depth proved insurmountable.
Bella Stiles and
Kinsley Molden provided energy off the bench with defensive rebounds and free throws. Although Cumberland scored six consecutive points in the closing minutes, Campbellsville's lead was never threatened as they cruised to the 67-55 victory.
