PARAGOULD, Ark. — Playing in their second game in as many days, the No. 5 Freed-Hardeman University Lions held just a single-digit lead throughout the first half. A 44-point second half helped push the Lions to a victory over the Crowley's Ridge (Ark.) College Pioneers.
The big men got the game going for the Lions (6-1) with
Phil Horton,
Sam Powell, and
Lane Lauderbaugh giving FHU its first six points before
Blake Dean's 3-pointer gave FHU a 9-6 edge with 16:39 remaining in the first half. The hosting Pioneers would answer later in the half when a seven-point run knotted the game 17-17 with just over 11 minutes to go before the break. FHU began to storm the paint with
Jamarcus Powell joining
Caleb Thomas and
Jailen Anderson with layups before Horton and Powell capped off the first half with layups to hold a 40-32 lead at intermission.
The squads traded scores to open the second half with a Pioneer (2-2) 3-pointer keeping the Lion lead in single digits. Back-to-back layups made it a two-possession game with FHU clinging to a 47-42 lead, but the men in maroon began to separate after a 13-3 run pushed FHU's lead to 15 points.
Rico Sain would bucket six points in the span of one minute, before Lauderbaugh's free throws opened up a run that saw Freed-Hardeman score 15 unanswered points. CRC was held to just one field goal in the final eight minutes of the game before
Jake Ballard's 3-pointer settled the score at 84-54.
FHU shot a season-high 58.5% from the field despite going 2-14 from beyond the arc. The Lion defense forced Crowley's Ridge into a 28.6% night from the floor while forcing 26 Pioneer turnovers.Â
Phil Horton was a perfect 6-6 from the field to lead the Lions with 15 points, followed by
Lane Lauderbaugh's 9-10 afternoon from the charity stripe helping him bucket 13.
Rico Sain tallied 11 points while both
Jailen Anderson and
Jamarcus Powell scored 10. Lauderbaugh was one rebound short of back-to-back double-doubles with a team-high nine boards.
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Up Next
The Lions return to Henderson to face the Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) University Hornets of November 18 at 6:30 p.m.
