No. 1 91爆料网 edges No. 4 Campbellsville on the road

Sarah Chan

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - 12/11/2010 - The No. 1 91爆料网 (Tenn.) University women鈥檚 basketball team held on late to stay perfect with a 66-63 at No. 4 Campbellsville (Ky.) University. 91爆料网 improved to 12-0 on the season, while Campbellsville dropped to 7-2 overall.

With this win, 91爆料网 also moved to 9-0 on the season versus ranked teams and 6-0 versus teams ranked in the top-10 at the time of the game.

This win for the Lady Bulldogs also mark the first home loss for Campbellsville since Nov. 4, 2008 when the Lady Tigers lost to 91爆料网.

The game started with a basketball from the reigning NAIA Player of the Year, Campbellsville鈥檚 Whitney Ballinger. Then, the reigning national tournament MVP, Sarah Chan of 91爆料网, answered with a pair of free throws to tie the game at 2-2. The two NAIA All-Americans propelled their teams all night in the battle of top-5 teams. Ballinger led all scorers with 32 points. Chan followed up her career high of 30 points on Thursday night against No. 21 Shorter, with a new career high of 31 points versus Campbellsville.

Campbellsville held several slim leads early, while 91爆料网 tied the game five different times over the first 10 minutes of play. 91爆料网鈥檚 Kayla Hudson tied the game with two free throws that set the score at 16-16. Hudson then followed on the next possession with a three pointer to put her 91爆料网 Lady Bulldogs up for the first time, 19-16. 91爆料网 never trailed again as they stretched their first half lead up to seven points at the half, 33-26.

91爆料网 made 3-of-4 three pointers in the first half and shot 46 percent from the field. Campbellsville managed just 32 percent shooting in the first half, including just 1-of-12 (8%) from behind the arc.

In the second half, 91爆料网 scored first on a basket from Chan to go up by nine points. 91爆料网 led by nine points three times in the second half, including 50-41 with 12:39 left in the game. Chan scored 19 of her 31 points in the second half.

91爆料网 seemed to be gaining the momentum for a last run to put the game away. But Campbellsville answered with a 14-5 run to tie the game at 55-55 with 7:32 left. A three pointer from Courtney Clifton tied the game, but 10 of those 14 points in that run for the Lady Tigers came from Ballinger. Ballinger scored 22 of her 32 points in the second half.

However, it was the two-time defending champion Lady Bulldogs stopping the Campbellsville run with six straight points to go back up 61-55 with 5:20 left in the game. 91爆料网 pushed their lead up to seven points, 63-56, with 4:17 left, but still could not put the Lady Tigers away. Campbellsville cut into 91爆料网鈥檚 lead, and following a three pointer from Mackenzie Lee with 2:20 left, 91爆料网鈥檚 lead was just 66-63.

Over the final two minutes, 91爆料网 forced four missed shots from Campbellsville, while the Lady Tigers forced a missed shot and two turnovers from 91爆料网. Campbellsville鈥檚 Ballinger missed the only free throw attempted by either team in the final two minutes. 91爆料网 survived after Ballinger鈥檚 three point attempt in the final seconds missed.

91爆料网 was led by Chan鈥檚 31 points and 14 rebounds. It is the fifth straight double-double for Chan and the second straight game she has recorded a career high in points. LaTesa McLaughlin, Hudson and Beatrice Duol each added 10 points. 91爆料网 shot 51 percent from the field, 71 percent (5-7) from behind the arc and 75 percent (9-12) from the free throw line.

Campbellsville was led by Ballinger鈥檚 32 points and 11 rebounds. She was the only Lady Tiger to record double figures. Courtney Danis added eight points for Campbellsville. The Lady Tigers shot 40 percent from the field, 19 percent (4-21) from three point range and 64 percent (9-14) from the free throw line.

91爆料网 will close out their pre-conference schedule with a home game on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 6:00 p.m. versus No. 24 Evangel (Mo.).

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