GEORGGETOWN, Ky. — With the No. 6 Freed-Hardeman University Lions' lone league loss coming from the hands of the No. 13 Georgetown (Ky.) College Tigers, the Lions hoped to return the favor Thursday night in David-Reid Alumni Gym. As expected in the heavyweight bout there were five lead changes and five ties, but Ryley McClaran's 3-pointer gave FHU a lead they would keep until the 80-71 final score.

After Geraldo Lane's tip-in gave Freed-Hardeman (20-3, 7-1 MSC) their first points of the game, Ryley McClaran's 3- pointer answered a triple from the hosting Tigers. Sam Powell would join with a 3-pointer of his own as neither team had more than a one-possession lead until the Tigers went up by six points at 9:31. Lane and Chase Fiddler would take narrow that gap before a layup from JJ Wheat on the fast break evened the score at 25-25 with 6:34 remaining in the first half. Georgetown would sink late 3-pointers down the strech, eventually taking a 10-point lead. Hunter Scurlock and Quan Lax finished the half with layups to end the first act with the Lions trailing 39-33.

The Georgetown Tigers (17-6, 4-4 MSC) held the Lions to just two first-half 3-pointers. In the second half, Freed-Hardeman found their stroke by going 9-13 from long range in the second half. McClaran and Fiddler would knock down a set before Sam Powell's triples sandwiched a Lax 3-pointer to have the Lions bucket nine unanswered points with three shots. McClaran's long ball at 6:31 gave the Lions a lead they would not relinquish. Though GC would tack on five late unanswered points to pull within two points, the Lions scored seven to close the book on the 80-71 victory.

The Lions were out-rebounded 39-27 in the victory, but the Lions recorded 38 bench points. Both teams moved the ball well, combining for 35 assists.

Ryley McClaran led the charge by going 6-7 from long range to bucket 18 points. JJ Wheat trailled with 12 points, with Quan Lax's 5-8 day helping him to 11 points. Peyton Law chipped in with 10 points. Devin Tomlinson grabbed a team-hgih six rebounds while Lax dished out as many assists.
 

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Up Next

The Lions will stay on the road to visit the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) on Saturday, February 10 with a tipoff of 2:00 p.m.