Box Score BATESVILLE, Ark. - Two years ago, the Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions went to Lyon (Ark.) College riding a 20-game winning streak. They left Lyon with their first loss of the year.
The Scots repeated the feat today, this time snapping FHU's 24-game winning streak with a 81-72 victory over the No. 2 Lady Lions.
Lyon pulled ahead early thanks to hot shooting from 3-point range, knocking down six of its first nine shots behind the arc and led 35-19 with 7:00 left in the first half. By halftime, FHU managed to cut the deficit down to eight points (45-37) thanks to an 11-2 run to close the half.
But the Scots picked up where they left off as the second half began, knocking down three more 3-pointers as part of a 15-0 run that made it a 23-point lead with 15:00 left.
FHU slowly chipped away at the Lyon lead, eventually pulling back within seven points but missed four of its last five shots to miss a chance to take advantage of the Scots' going 5-of-10 from the line in the last two minutes.
Lyon knocked down 12 3-pointers in the game, the team's second-highest total of the season, and shot 52.2 percent from behind the arc. FHU, meanwhile, converted only 2-of-14 3-pointers and the team's top two shooters, Brittany Montgomery and Cynthia Woodward, went a combined 0-for-9. The Lady Lions also struggled from the free throw line, missing 13 of their 35 attempts.
Hayley Newby scored a career-high 33 points, the fifth time this season she has set a new career high. Taleeah Cross had 20 and Grace Alonso de Armino added 13 before both fouled out late in the game.
The loss dropped FHU (24-1, 16-1) into a tie for first place in the American Midwest Conference with Columbia (Mo.), a team the Lady Lions will face on the road a week from today.