Mustangs no longer undefeated after 2OT loss in Tennessee
FHU Athletics
HENDERSON, Tenn. – A top-15 battle lived up to its billing with the No. 7 Freed-Hardeman University Lions hosting the No. 11 Central Baptist (Ark.) College Mustangs. Regulation was not enough. One overtime was not enough. It took two overtime periods to determine the victor with FHU battling to the 91-89 win.
A defensive battle from the tipoff, the Lions (5-1) got on the board first at 17:47 with a jumper from Peyton Law. Central Baptist would answer with a 3-pointer before Phil Horton’s jumper ignited a seven-point run capped by Blake Dean’s triple. The Mustangs answered to tie the game with a layup at 9:32, but FHU took a lead and then some, scoring 12 unanswered points with Jordan Stephens’ long ball putting the Lions on top 26-14 with 5:13 remaining in the first act. Late free throws and late 3-pointers from CBC narrowed the gap when time expired on round one with FHU leading 37-30 at the break.
The Mustangs (5-1) came out of the locker room with the same momentum they entered, scoring the first seven points of the second half including a free throw tying the game at 17:12. From there, neither team would lead by more than two possessions with Phil Horton pushing the Lions ahead by scoring eight points in just over one minute. A 3-pointer from Stephens tied the game with 1:56 remaining in regulation before the Mustangs were able to take a three-point lead into the final 60 seconds. Horton again had the big bucket, draining a 3-pointer with five seconds to go before blocking the last shot attempt to end regulation in a 76-76 tie.
CBC opened the first overtime by taking a four-point lead; however, Geralo Lane joined Horton at the charity stripe to go 4-4 with Horton’s with 30 seconds tying the game 82-82. Vying for the last shot, the Mustangs attempted a 3-pointer with three seconds left, but Lane secured the rebound to force a second overtime.
The Lions drew first blood in the second overtime with a jumper from Law, but the Mustangs answered with a 3-pointer. Stephens connected for a jumper to give FHU a lead they would maintain until the end. A 3-pointer narrowed the gap to one point, but Lane again hit his free throws with two seconds to go to claim the victory 91-89.
FHU out-rebounded CBC 51-36 and dominated from the bench with FHU scoring 44 points to CBC’s 18 bench points. The Mustangs were led by Sage Borbon’s 43 points including 10 3-pointers.
Peyton Law and Geraldo Lane both tallied double-doubles with Law sinking 20 points with a team-high 12 rebounds while Lane scored 18 points with 10 rebounds. Phil Horton was a rebound short of a double-double with 20 points and nine boards. Jordan Stephens tallied 19 points and a team-high four assists in the win.