HENDERSON — Facing their toughest test of the season, the (RV) Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions met the (RV) Mustangs of The Master's University. Despite the Mustangs taking a 13-point lead early in the second quarter, the Lady Lions battled back to win 71-66.
Carissa Curtis knocked down eight 3-pointers to tie for the fourth-most in a single game in FHU history.
The first quarter was unkind to the Lady Lions (7-0) with FHU going 0-10 from long range. Meanwhile, The Master's utilized a 9-0 run to jump out to a 17-6 lead.
Brooklyn Crouch converted a late three-point play; however, the Mustangs scored a last-minute layup to end the first half with FHU trailing 21-10.
The Master's (3-2) kept the momentum early with a bucket to take a 13-point lead, but
Kaylee Odom had back-to-back layups before Curtis hit the first 3-pointer of the game for the Lady Lions amid a 9-0 FHU run. Curtis would hit back-to-back long balls before
Kelsey Bender completed the comeback with a jumper at 1:32 to give FHU a 31-30 lead. After a layup from Crouch, the Mustangs hit a 3-pointer to end the first half tied 33-33.
Curtis continued her hot shooting with a 3-pointer to open the second half before a 3-pointer from
Rachel Satterly gave the Lady Lions a three point lead. The Mustangs would not go away, scoring five unanswered down the stretch to tie the game 45-45. A triple from Curtis was followed by a TMU layup to end the third quarter with FHU leading 48-47.
The fourth quarter continued the close play with the Lady Lions and the Mustangs trading blows, the difference coming with TMU hitting one early 3-pointer, the Lady Lions were tallying 3-pointers from Curtis and
Jenna Satterly. Layups from Odom and Bender would help keep FHU's lead at six points before a 3-pointer pulled The Master's within one possession with less than a minute remaining. R. Satterly and Bender would hit their free throws late to claim the 71-66 win.
Freed-Hardeman forced 17 Mustang turnovers, converting those to 19 points.
Carissa Curtis ended the night going 10-22, including an 8-18 mark from long range, to score a career-high 22 points.
Kaylee Odom helped with 15 points while
Jenna Satterly chipped in with 10 points.
Kelsey Bender joined Odom with a team-high seven rebounds.
Up Next
The Lady Lions will face Fisk (Tenn.) University on November 19 in Nashville before returning to the Brewer Sports Center for the final time in the 2023 calendar year against Faulkner (Ala.) University on November 21.
