CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The #5 Campbellsville University Lady Tigers hosted the #21 University of the Cumberlands Patriots on Thursday at the Powell Athletic Center for their final regular-season home matchup. Overcoming a double-digit early deficit and capitalizing on 19 Cumberlands turnovers, Campbellsville secured a dramatic 74-71 conference victory on Senior Night.
- Dea Bradley paced the offensive effort with a game-high 24 points, knocking down 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.
- Whitney Hay (16 points) and Tyra Flowers (13 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, three assists) joined Bradley in double figures to anchor the Lady Tigers' frontcourt.
- Campbellsville overcame an early 12-point deficit by dominating at the charity stripe, shooting a stellar 94.1% (16-of-17) compared to the Patriots' 71.4% (10-of-14).
- The Lady Tigers' defense capitalized on Cumberlands' mistakes, converting 19 Patriot turnovers into 18 points on the other end of the floor.
- Campbellsville will close out the regular season on Saturday, February 21, traveling to Georgetown, Kentucky, to battle the Georgetown College Tigers.
The Patriots opened the game on a 12-0 run as the Lady Tigers struggled to find their shooting rhythm out of the gate.
Talynne Shearer provided a much-needed spark off the bench, draining a three-pointer to break Campbellsville's scoring drought, which was quickly followed by a jumper from
Whitney Hay. The Patriots answered with another 6-0 burst before Hay converted a second layup. The defensive efforts of Shearer, Hay, and
Tyra Flowers began to hinder the Patriots' momentum, blocking shots and contesting attempts in the paint. Reserves
Lainey Johnson and
Dea Bradley connected from beyond the arc late in the period, chipping away at the deficit to close the first quarter trailing 26-18.
Cumberlands' hot hand cooled at the start of the second quarter, as they missed consecutive baskets despite strong offensive rebounding. After an early jumper by Flowers, Bradley took over offensively. The sophomore guard racked up 12 points in the period alone, relentlessly attacking the basket and drawing fouls to cut the Lady Tigers' deficit. Johnson and
Bella Stiles joined Bradley's offensive onslaught, converting key buckets in the paint to showcase Campbellsville's agility and transition speed. The late-quarter surge paid off, as the Lady Tigers trimmed the Patriots' lead to a single point, 41-40, heading into the halftime break.
Campbellsville stormed out of the locker room, beginning the second half on a decisive 8-0 run to steal the lead for the first time. After Cumberlands finally managed a jumper at the 6:45 mark, the Lady Tigers responded with another eight straight points to extend their advantage to double figures. Halfway through the third quarter, the Campbellsville defense suffocated the Patriots, limiting them to a frigid 25.0% shooting from the field in the period. However, Cumberlands found their footing at the sight of trouble, stringing together a 9-0 run late in the frame to chip away at the Lady Tigers' 60-54 upper hand entering the fourth.
The tension was palpable coming into the final quarter, with both teams utilizing physical play to earn trips to the charity stripe. Campbellsville racked up points in the paint while Cumberlands countered from beyond the arc, keeping the margin razor-thin. Following a scoring drought with only three minutes left on the clock, both teams traded missed baskets, with the Patriots trailing by a single possession.
Hallie Allen drained a clutch three-pointer to provide crucial breathing room down the stretch, though Cumberlands responded swiftly with a layup. With 11 seconds left on the clock, Campbellsville led by three, and despite the Patriots having a final timeout to draw up a play, the Lady Tiger defense held firm. Cumberlands was unable to connect on a final attempt, allowing Campbellsville to escape with the 74-71 victory.
