Box Score HENDERSON, Tenn. - The No. 4 Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions raced out to a big first-half lead, then held off a second-half rally by Faulkner (Ala.) University to pick up a 76-57 win over the visiting Eagles on Friday night in the Brewer Sports Center.

FHU (8-2), which knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first half, wasted no time in building a double-digit lead. The Lady Lions opened the game on a 16-4 run on the strength of a trio of 3-pointers and strong defense that forced Faulkner (8-3) into missing six of its first eight shots and turning the ball over four times.

After the Eagles pulled back within five points, Freed-Hardeman scored on seven straight possessions to take a 35-17 lead with 4:31 to go in the half on a layup by Natalie Shumpert.

FHU led by 18 at the break and scored the first basket of the second half to take its largest lead of the game. But Faulkner responded with a 10-0 run in under four minutes to cut the lead in half.

However, the Eagles could get no closer as Amber Alexander broke the run with a jumper in the paint and FHU slowly rebuilt its 20-point lead after Shumpert nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing at the 8:54 mark.

Faulkner made one final push and got back within 12 points with 3:14 to play, but FHU made six straight free throws while getting three stops on defense and put the game out of reach.

For the first time this season, Freed-Hardeman put six players in double figures led by Alexander's 15 points. Shumpert and Layce Colter each added 12 while Hannah Parsley and Ashley Tate chipped in with 10. Maria Bagwell posted her fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 18 rebounds.

The Lady Lions held Faulkner's 6-foot-3 all-American Brittney Carter to eight points, the first time this season that she has not scored in double figures.

FHU returns to action tomorrow as the Lady Lions host Auburn University-Montgomery (Ala.) at 2:00 PM.