Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson -- The Freed-Hardeman University women's basketball team kicked off their season with a win over a short-handed Rust College (0-1) at home.

The game started off with a jump ball off of the opening tip before the second jump ball was won by the Lady Lions (1-0). The first offense possession turned into a layup from Lilly Kee assisted by Aubrey Blankenship, after an offensive rebound by Ella Wheeler. The Lady Lions would take the lead in that moment and never give it up. The Lady Lions started the game on an 8-0 run with Ally Weathers and Wheeler adding in fast-break layups on top of 2 free throws from Kee. The teams would trade baskets back and forth before Julieth Rivera Morales dished out two assists to Maddie Kirk, one for a layup and one for 3, to extend the lead to 17-8. The first quarter ended with Kee getting an offensive rebound and putting it back up followed by 2 missed free-throws from the Bearcats to give FHU a 23-10 lead after 1. 

The Bearcats scored the first bucket of the 2nd quarter and went back and forth for the first three and a half minutes of the quarter. 2 Kee free throws sparked a Lady Lion run that lasted almost five minutes with JB Clifton netting a long ball to finish the run, with the score increasing from 30-18 to 48-18 during that span that included six different Lady Lions scoring. Rivera Morales sank a buzzer beater, with an assist from Jocy May to cap off the half, with the Freed-Hardeman leading 56-24.

The Bearcats used an offensive rebound put back to start the second half, before Weathers answered with a layup. At the 1:26 mark, Ella Wheeler made a jumper that started a 10-0 run to end the half, with Wheeler scoring 8 of the 10, including 2 from behind the arc, and Jocy may adding a layup.

Carrying a 41-point lead into the final quarter, FHU was able to use the final minutes of the game to give the freshmen Lady Lions some action in the season opener. Keely Webb and Tiarra Spencer both had looks from long, but were unable to get them to fall. McKaylie Wallace and Riley Brooks also got in with a couple minutes remaining in the game, with Wallace and Spencer both finding a rebound to get their first stat of their collegiate career.

Ella Wheeler led the scoring in her debut with 18, Lilly Kee added a double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Maddie Kirk, 12, and Ally Weathers, 11, added to double-figure scoring. Aubrey Blankenship grabbed 8 boards, and Jocy May had 7. Julieth Rivera Morales out-assisted the entire Bearcats team with 7.

The Lady Lions assisted on 23 of their 31 made field goals, shot 53.6% from the field in the first 3 quarters, and grabbed 16 offensive rebounds resulting in 18 points.

Up Next: 

The Lady Lions will host The Master's University next Monday, October 26th at 5:30pm.