LEBANON, Tenn. — The Cumberland Women's Basketball team will open its Mid-South Conference home schedule on Thursday night as the Phoenix host the Campbellsville Tigers. The match up comes after a three-game conference road stretch. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT at the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena.
Cumberland enters Thursday's contest with a 14–5 overall record and an 0–3 mark in conference play. The Phoenix will look to snap a three-game losing streak when they take on the No. 3-ranked Tigers at home. Cumberland is coming off a heartbreaking 64–63 loss to Georgetown on Saturday.
The Phoenix are led by senior guard Ty Buckley of Meridian, Miss., who is coming off a double-double performance with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Buckley is averaging 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and has been a key contributor from beyond the arc all season. She will look to continue that success against Campbellsville's high-powered offense.Riley Long is also coming off a strong performance, scoring 12 points, and is averaging 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Additionally, Emaleigh Tarpley has been a consistent scoring presence for Cumberland this season, averaging 12.2 points per game, and will aim to keep that momentum going Thursday night.
Campbellsville enters the match up with a 16–3 overall record and a 1–2 start in Mid-South Conference play. The Tigers are ranked No. 3 in the most recent Top 25 Poll. They are coming off two tough losses: an overtime defeat to No. 2 Bethel last Thursday and a 67–56 loss to No. 5 Freed-Hardeman on Saturday. Thursday's contest will mark Campbellsville's first true road game of the season.
The Tigers are led by graduate forward Whitney Hay, who averages 17.6 points per game and leads the team in shooting percentage at 54.7 percent. Hay is one of three primary scoring options for Campbellsville. The Tigers' back court features Dea Bradley and Lainey Johnson. Bradley averages 13.8 points per game, shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from three-point range. Johnson adds 8.5 points per game and shoots 35.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Key factors in Thursday's match up will include ball control and defense. Campbellsville averages 11.8 turnovers per game, while Cumberland averages 16.7. The Phoenix will also need to slow down the Tigers' potent offense, which ranks eighth nationally at 86 points per game, though Campbellsville is being held to 69.6 points per game in conference play.
The two programs have met 38 times since 1999, with Campbellsville holding a commanding 34–4 all-time series lead and riding a 26-game winning streak against Cumberland.
Tip off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT Thursday in Lebanon, Tenn., at the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena, as the Phoenix look to pull off a home upset against the nation's third-ranked team following a three-game road trip to open conference play. Fans can listen on 98.9 WANT or watch the game on the Urban Edge Network.
