By: Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director
The No. 7 Freed-Hardeman University Lions looked to bounce back from their first league loss against the No. 6 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots. The Lions fed the paint to perfection to score 52 points in the key to help them to an 81-73 victory.
Despite FHU (17-3, 5-1 MSC) committing a pair of turnovers to start the game, the ship righted when Peyton Law and Quan Lax tallied layups to begin the Lion scoring before Ryley McClaran’s 3-pointer at 16:52 gave FHU a five-point edge. UC answered with a 3-ball of their own before FHU opened a 7-0 run finishing with a 3-pointer from Devin Tomlinson that saw the Lions take a 12-point lead at 19-7. Momentum would then swing Cumberlands’ way after whittling FHU’s lead down to two points after a dunk at 6:05 set the score at 23-21 in favor of the Lions. The Lion point guards helped to keep FHU on top after Lax sank a 3-pointer before JJ Wheat converted a scoop and score. Wheat would go on to tally two more jumpers in the paint. Not going quietly, the Patriots would shoot the ball well late, with a 3-pointer bringing the halftime score to 38-33 in favor of FHU.
Cumberlands (18-2, 4-1 MSC) would come out of the break strong, making it a one-possession game; however reigning Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year Hunter Scurlock would drive into the lane to score back-to-back layups to put the Lions back up by seven. While FHU went 0-9 from deep in the second half, the adjustment was made to drive the lane where the Lions currently sit with the fourth-best field goal percentage in the nation – shooting 52.8% from the floor as a team on the year. The Lions utilized a 6-0 run as time wound down, when Peyton Law’s layup at 3:57 gave the Lions their largest lead of the afternoon at 12 points. FHU would keep a three-possession lead for the remainder of the game until Lax’s free throw in the final seconds set the final score at 81-73.
FHU shot above 50% for the 10th time in 11 games, going 58% from the floor, making 30 of their attempted 52 shots. The Lions took advantage of several trips to the charity stripe, going 17-20 while UC was 11-13.
JJ Wheat led the Lion offense, making every shot he attempted by going 7-7 from the floor and 6-6 from the line to tally 20 points. Peyton Law was also perfect from the field, going 7-7 to collect 14 points. Quan Lax added 11 points, while Hunter Scurlock amassed 10. Scurlock led the Lions at the glass with seven rebounds, Lax helped out with a team-high four assists, while Wheat stole the ball away four times.
