SIOUX CITY, Iowa — After a fantastic season where the No. 1-seed Freed-Hardeman University Lady Lions were perfect in non-conference play, the season came to an end in an overtime loss in the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship to the Georgetown Tigers, 74-68.
Freed-Hardeman (29-4) fell behind early with the Tigers' Daisy Gale scoring all eight of the Tiger points before
Ally Weathers put FHU on the board at 6:46. Georgetown eventually extended their lead to double digits before
Carissa Curtis and
Jenna Satterly rattled off back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 7-0 Lady Lion run. Late baskets from Georgetown finished the first quarter with the Tigers leading 21-15.
The Tigers (25-8) opened to their largest lead by scoring the first five points of the second quarter, but Satterly and Weathers were joined by
Lilly Kee to score the next nine points with a layup at 2:14 pulling the Lady Lions within two points. The Tigers hit a 3-pointer before Satterly's buzzer-beater ended the half with the Lady Lions needing ground to make up, trailing 31-28.
FHU stormed out of the break to score eight unanswered points to take their first lead. After
Rachel Satterly opened the half with a layup, Kee and Weathers hit jumpers before
Brooklyn Crouch scored five unanswered points to give the Lady Lions a 41-32 lead. GC battled back with 3-pointers before J. Satterly ended the quarter with a jumper with FHU clinging to a 45-39 lead.
Despite J. Satterly's jumper at 5:11 giving FHU their largest lead at 10 points, the Tigers would score 13 of the next 15 points with a basket at 2:42 knotting the game 54-54. The teams traded baskets until 40 minutes had elapsed and the teams were deadlocked at 60-60.
A set of 3-pointers helped an 8-0 Tiger run, with Georgetown pulling ahead before the horn sounded, concluding FHU's season with a 74-68 final score.
Neither team shot the ball well with FHU shooting 36% from the floor while Georgetown shot 37%. Georgetown were 9-for-20 from beyond the arc while the Lady Lions were 4-for-22.
Ally Weathers led FHU's offense with a double-double, scoring a team-high 23 points while grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.
Jenna Satterly followed with 17 points while
Brooklyn Crouch ended with 13 points and four assists.
