By: Dustin Semore, FHU Sports Information Director
Competing in their third consecutive game against a higher-ranked opponent, the No. 22 Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions forced the No. 14 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots to turn the ball over 22 times, leading to 17 points off of turnovers to pull off their second upset in as many games by topping the Patriots 57-49.
The Lady Lions (18-4, 4-2 MSC) fell behind early before Kaylee Odom and KJ White tallied a set of layups. After Rachel Satterly chipped in with a layup, White’s free throw at 5:54 tied the game 9-9. Cumberlands would then go on an seven-point unanswered run to take a into the second quarter at 18-11. Both teams had a slow start from the floor, with FHU missing six of their last seven shots, while UC went 4-10 in the last five minutes of the quarter.
After Ragean Purvine’s layup made it a two-possession game, the Patriots (15-6, 3-2 MSC) took their largest lead when a 3-pointer at 4:56 set the score at 23-13. Satterly would then pick up six straight points from a 3-pointer, a layup, and a free throw. The Patriots would reclaim a nine-point edge before the Odom, Satterly, and Elli Chumley closed the game with six unanswered points to move to the intermission with FHU trailing 28-25.
The Lady Lions and the Patriots would trade blows to begin the second half, with the Patriots maintaining a two-possession lead before Kelsey Bender’s layup at 3:01 began a 10-point swing for FHU that included a triple from Satterly at 1:51 to give the Lady Lions their first lead of the night. After a trio of free throws to close the third quarter, the Lady Lions held a 44-41 lead.
The final frame has been the big one of late for FHU, with the Lady Lions continuing the trend by out-scoring Cumberlands 13-8 in the final 10 minutes. The Lady Lion defense was as strong as ever, allowing only three made field goals in the fourth quarter, while forcing seven consecutive misses from the opposition. Brooklyn Crouch joined Purvine with back-to-back 3-pointers to begin a 12-point run to see FHU take a 56-45 lead. While UC were able to connect on a set of layups, the fourth-quarter push was enough to give FHU the edge in a 57-49 final.
FHU’s teamwork was on display, with 12 assists being shared to the Patriots’ eight. The Lady Lion defense showed out with 11 steals.
Rachel Satterly led all scorers with 16 points, going 5-10 from the floor while also leading the team in both steals and assists with five and three, respectively.
Up Next: The first half of the Mid-South season wraps up for the Lady Lions, going 4-2 in league play. They now embark on a four-game road trip to rematch Bethel (Tenn.), Georgetown (Ky.), Cumberlands, and Cumberland (Tenn.) before returning to Henderson on Saturday, February 17 to host the No. 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) University Tigers at 1 p.m.
