HENDERSON, Tenn. – Third-place Freed-Hardeman University (22-6, 11-3 TSAC), ranked number five in the NAIA Division I national poll, scored the game’s first 10 points and led 33-12 at halftime and by as many as 43 points late in the game, and finished with a 77-34 victory over ninth-place Mid-Continent University (1-26, 1-13 TSAC) in Saturday, February 19 TranSouth Athletics Conference women’s basketball action in FHU’s Athletics Center in Henderson, Tennessee.

FHU held MCU to its lowest point total of the season, and the Cougars shot just .250 from the field (11-44) and committed 19 turnovers while FHU shot .449 (31-69) with 13 turnovers. After MCU closed the 21-point halftime gap to 35-22 with 17:22 left in the game, the Lady Lions outscored the Cougars, 42-12, the rest of the game.

Next week, Mid-Continent hosts eighth-place Blue Mountain College (5-19, 1-12 TSAC), Thursday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m., and seventh-place Cumberland University (12-15, 4-10 TSAC), Saturday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m., both in Mayfield High School Sports Arena. In Saturday’s other games, first-place Union University (26-1, 13-1 TSAC), the number one team in the last 45 NAIA national polls, defeated Blue Mountain, 82-52, in Mississippi, and second-place Bethel University (22-4, 11-2 TSAC) stopped sixth-place Lyon College (14-12, 5-8 TSAC), 72-65, in McKenzie, Tennessee. Fifth-place Martin Methodist (17-11, 6-8 TSAC) lost 79-75 at Cumberland, and fourth-place Trevecca Nazarene University (12-12, 9-4 TSAC) was idle.

Three Lions scored in double figures with 6-2 All-American center Meribeth Boehler leading the way with 17 points, 13 in the first half, and 11 rebounds, 3 assists, one blocked shot and one steal. Off the FHU bench, freshman guard Brittany Montgomery hit 5 of her 7 three-point tries and totaled 17 points, 11 in the second half, 4 rebounds and one steal. Senior guard Whitney Johnson finished with 12 points, 9 in the second half, 2 three-pointers, 6 assists and 3 steals, and sophomore guard Natalie Shumpert finished with 8 points, 2 three-pointers, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Sophomore guard Maria Bagwell finished with just 4 points but gathered 10 rebounds, including 5 off the offensive glass.

Freshman forward Stephanie Malone (Louisville, KY/Iroquois HS), MCU’s leading scorer (14.1 ppg) and rebounder (8.0 rpg), totaled 12 points, 8 in the second half, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and one steal, and was MCU’s only player in double figures. Off the MCU bench, junior guard Holli Daily (Gainesboro, TN/Jackson County HS/Roane State CC) finished with 8 points, one three-pointer, and 2 rebounds, and junior forward Heather George (Morristown, TN/Morristown West HS/Roane State CC) added 6 points, one three-pointer, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Senior guard Tiffany Payton (Wadesville, IN/Mater Dei HS/Kaskaskia CC) contributed one three-pointer, 5 rebounds and a blocked shot.

Mid-Continent shot .250 (11-44) from the field for the game and just .190 (4-21) in the first half, made 4 of 18 three-pointers (.222) and 8 of 15 free throws (.533) and committed 19 turnovers. FHU shot .449 (31-69) from the field for the game and .514 (18-35) in the second half, made 10 of 25 three-pointers (.400) and 5 of 8 free throws (.625), out-rebounded MCU by a huge 53-24 margin, committed 13 turnovers and stole the ball from MCU 11 times. MCU managed just 2 offensive rebounds.

COURTESY: MCU Athletics

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