By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern

FRANKFORT, Ky.  – (Box Score) No. 1 Campbellsville (Ky.) advanced  to the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship second round for the second-straight year, besting No. 8 Southern Poly (Ga.), 84-68, in the Franklin Convention Center Wednesday night.

The Lady Tigers (31-3), who are appearing in their 22nd all-time national championship and fifth-straight, ended the first half on a 15-5 run to head to halftime up 11. But that was only the beginning of Campbellsville’s scoring streak. The Lady Tigers pulled away with a 20-4 run to start the second half, and ended up winning by 16 even with a late Southern Poly push.

Southern Poly senior guard Sarah Ogoke led all scorers with 23 points, but only five Hornets were able to find the bottom of the net. Nine Lady Tigers scored in the contest, led by senior guard Katie Allen’s 17 points, including 5-of-8 shooting (62.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

The teams shot similarly from the field, Campbellsville led at 47.8 percent, slightly better htan the Hornets at 44.6 percent. But, Campbellsville won the battle in the paint, with a 44-30 rebound advantage and also shot markedly better from 3-point range (6-of-14, 42.9 percent) when compared to Southern Poly (5-of-14, 35.7 percent).

Campbellsville's 88 points were the most for the Tigers in an NAIA national championship game since 2002 first round win over Benedict (S.C.).

The Lady Tigers will face the winner of No. 4 Westmont (Calif.) and No. 5 Xavier (La.) at 2:15 p.m. EDT Friday.

With the loss, Southern Poly is eliminated in the first round of the national championship for the second-straight year and ends its season with a 23-8 record.