The Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Lions Are Headed Back to the Title Game after Defeating Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Bracket | Watch On-Demand | Box Score] For the second time in three years, the Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) Lions are playing for the Red Banner.
Freed-Hardeman used a strong second half to pull away from Benedictine-Mesa (Ariz.) en route to a 96-71 victory Monday night in a Fab Four game at the 88th annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship at Municipal Auditorium.
Freed-Hardeman – winners of its last 31 straight games and the Red Banner winners in 2024 – now faces Ave Maria (Fla.) (30-4) or Langston (Okla.) (28-7) in the national championship game Tuesday night at 7 p.m. CT. Ave Maria and Langston played their Fab Four game later Monday night.
The first half, which featured eight ties and four lead changes, went back and forth for the first 13-plus minutes before D.J. McIntyre drained a 3-pointer with 6:10 to go before halftime. That 3-pointer sparked a 14-4 run that pushed the Lions’ lead to 35-27 with 1:15 remaining, but Benedictine-Mesa (28-7) scored the final five points of the half to go into the locker room only down 35-32.
Lane Lauderbaugh came off the bench to lead Freed-Hardeman with 11 points. Phil Horton added seven, Jailen Anderson tossed in six, and Caleb Thomas had five for the Lions in the opening 20 minutes. Meanwhile, three different players – Isaiah Howard, Malik Payton, and Luis Marin – had seven points each to pace Benedictine-Mesa.
Freed-Hardeman (34-1) made 14 of its 32 shots overall (43.8 percent), including 5-of-15 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range. The Lions had fewer turnovers (five, to the Redhawks’ seven), but Benedictine-Mesa outrebounded Freed-Hardeman, 21-18, in the first half. The Redhawks were 11-for-31 (35.5 percent) from the field and went 3-for-8 (37.5 percent) on their 3-point shots.
In the second half, the Lions outscored the Redhawks 15-6 over the first 6:21 of the period to extend their lead to 56-42 with 13:39 remaining. Benedictine-Mesa tried to chip away at the Lions’ lead, and got to within eight twice – the final time coming at 70-62 with 5:50 left after a layup by Eric Blackwell, but Freed-Hardeman scored the next five points, and the Redhawks never got closer than 11 the rest of the way. Freed-Hardeman scored the game’s final 12 points to turn the game into a romp, cruising into Tuesday’s battle for the Red Banner.
Lauderbaugh finished with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists to lead five Lions in double figures. Horton had 15 points and four rebounds, Thomas netted 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists, Anderson filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and Rico Sain chipped in 10 points, four assists, three rebounds, and three steals for Freed-Hardeman. The Lions made 37 of their 70 shots (52.9 percent), including 10-for-23 (43.5 percent) from 3-point range and forced Benedictine-Mesa into 18 turnovers that led to 24 Lion points.
The Redhawks – who advanced all the way to the Fab Four as a No. 8 seed out of the Cramer Quadrant – were led by Howard’s 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Marin had 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists, and Payton finished with 11 points for Benedictine-Mesa. The Redhawks were 23-for-55 (41.8 percent) from the field, making 4 of their 17 3-point shots (23.5 percent) in the loss.
