Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Survives Arizona Christian’s Late Surge, Advancing to the Fab Four on Monday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Bracket | Watch On-Demand | Box Score] Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) found a way Saturday afternoon at Municipal Auditorium, overcoming a halftime deficit and a persistent Arizona Christian team to win, 79-78, in a quarterfinal game at the 88th annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship.
Freed-Hardeman (33-1) – which has won 30 straight games – will now take on Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) (28-6) in the Fab Four Monday at 5 p.m. CT. Benedictine Mesa knocked off GSAC rival Hope International (Calif.), 86-75, in another quarterfinal game earlier Saturday afternoon. It marks the third straight season the Lions have punched their ticket to the Fab Four and the sixth straight year that at least one team from the Mid-South Conference has made an appearance in the Fab Four.
Arizona Christian (25-8) led 36-34 at halftime and was up by seven points – at 46-39 with 16:33 to go after a pair of Ese Onakpoma free throws – but Freed-Hardeman scored eight straight points to take a 47-46 lead on a Rico Sain free throw with 13:03 left. The Lions would lead the rest of the way, but the Firestorm never let Freed-Hardeman get more than a 10-point lead before rallying to get back into the game.
With 6:13 showing on the clock, Freed-Hardeman led 70-60, and Arizona Christian made a 16-7 run over a span of 5:40 to close to within 77-76 after Onakpoma made a basket with 33 seconds to go. The Lions’ Jamarcus Powell was fouled and made a pair of free throws to give the Lions a 79-76 lead with 25 seconds remaining, and Arizona Christian missed a subsequent 3-pointer, but the Firestorm’s Drew Goodline got a putback basket to make it 79-78 with 2.7 seconds left.
Arizona Christian fouled immediately, but Freed-Hardeman missed both free throws, and the Firestorm grabbed the rebound of the second miss, but their desperation heave was off the mark, giving the Lions the hard-fought win and another trip to Monday’s Fab Four game against Benedictine Mesa.
Sain led Freed-Hardeman with 21 points and five rebounds, and Lane Lauderbaugh added 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals for the Lions, who had nine players score five or more points in the game. The Lions also played tough defense, forcing 23 turnovers and harassing the Firestorm into going just 17-for-45 (37.8 percent) from the field overall, including 9-of-24 (37.5 percent) on 3-pointers.
Onakpoma led Arizona Christian with 27 points (including 16-for-19 at the free-throw line), six rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots. Shaud Bradley had 14 points and four rebounds, and the Firestorm had three other players with at least eight points in the loss. Arizona Christian outrebounded Freed-Hardeman, 43-26, in the game and stayed close by making 35 of its 40 free throws (87.5 percent).
