Saturday was a great day

Saturday May 14th was a great day for the Lions program. We had 5 people graduate from FHU. Three of our seniors from this year, one who finished his eligibility last year and our former player turned strength coach. They are all shown in the photo above. So far in our 6 years we have only had 2 players not receive their degrees and are both very close to finishing those.

Pictured from left to right are: Cedric Austin, Jesse Moulton, Logan Greer, Vince Barnes, and Troy Ledlow.

Lions hand No. 6 Martin Methodist first loss of season

The Freed-Hardeman Lions have had some big wins this season, but perhaps none as important and impressive as tonight's win over the No. 6 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) RedHawks.

The RedHawks (16-1, 4-1) came into the night as one of only two unbeaten teams in the NAIA along with No. 1 LSU-Shreveport. When they left Henderson, though, they were no longer able to stake that claim.

The Lions (12-7, 4-1) got off to a strong start in the second half, then held off a RedHawk rally to pick up a 94-85 win on Thursday night in the FHU Sports Center. The win keeps FHU a half-game behind Union (Tenn.) University for the top spot in the TranSouth Conference ratings.

The first half was evenly fought throughout the entire 20 minutes, with nine ties and eight lead changes before Anthony Sampson's floater in the lane gave FHU a 36-34 halftime lead.

The Lions came out of the locker room as the aggressor and opened the second half on a 12-4 run. Eight of those points came from Brian Pearson, who drained a pair of 3-pointers from the right corner and picked up a lay-up on a hustle play after chasing down a loose ball.

Moments later, Freed-Hardeman gave itself a bigger cushion thanks to a 13-4 run capped off by a Cedric Austin 3-pointer to extend the lead to 61-47 with 11:58 to play.

As it turned out, it was a good thing that cushion was there.

The RedHawks regrouped and fought back, outscoring FHU 15-4 over the next four-plus minutes to pull back within three points on a James Justice 3-pointer. The Lions maintained their composure and pushed the lead back up to 10 points on a 3-pointer by Kyle Teichmann with 3:35 to play and again on a Teichmann basket at the 1:40 mark.

But Justice, a junior transfer from Memphis, almost single-handedly kept the RedHawks in the game scoring his team's next nine points on a pair of 3-pointers and three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt to get MMC back within four points with just under a minute to play. After an FHU turnover, Derwin Gage hit one of two free throws to again turn the contest into a one-possession game with 34 seconds left.

Sampson, however, calmly drained both ends of a double bonus after being fouled on the inbounds pass to put Freed-Hardeman up by five. That was followed by a big defensive play by Austin, who got his hand on the ball while Justice was dribbling and called a timeout after diving on the loose ball.

Sampson again made a pair of free throws and then came up with a big defensive play of his own, stripping the ball away from LaQuantis Stewart after Stewart grabbed an offensive rebound in the lane. Two more free throws gave FHU a nine-point lead and effectively sealed the win.

Teichmann, who earlier in the week wasn't expected to play tonight's game, posted his sixth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Sampson added 16 points and seven assists while Austin scored 17 and Pearson contributed 14.

Justice finished with 25 points to lead all scorers, with 20 of those coming in the game's final seven minutes.

The Lions will play their fourth game in eight days on Saturday as they travel to face Mid-Continent (Ky.) University at 4:00 PM.

Teichmann: An offensive technician

Speed and length are two of the Union men's basketball team's strengths this season, but neither was a match for Freed-Hardeman's Kyle Teichmann on Saturday.

Teichmann tied a career-high 29 points by scoring inside and outside in a 94-89 loss to No. 17 Union.

The 6-foot-6 sophomore has eclipsed the 20-point mark eight times in 17 games this season, building upon this past season in which he was named TranSouth freshman of the year.

Teichmann may lack some of the physical strength that FHU fans were used to when former center Zack Frey was the cornerstone of the program.

But Teichmann brings various technical skills to the Lions' offense even with less than two collegiate seasons.

"He killed us (Saturday)," said Union coach David Niven. "He can go inside or outside. He can put it on the floor and drive.

"(FHU) got it to him on out-of-bounds plays and in the halfcourt. And we didn't play bad defense either. He is one of the best in our league."

Teichmann faced a Union roster with five players standing at least 6-foot-6, including a mixture of athletic low-post and perimeter defenders.

But he withstood a pounding in the post on offense and defense while creating shots on the perimeter for himself and others against quicker defenders.

"He's a really good player," said FHU coach Jason Shelton. "He's very solid in a lot of areas.

"He can always improve offensively and he is still learning about post defense. But he steps up and makes baskets in an unselfish way and looks for teammates as well."

Teichmann spread his points out in Saturday's game, but scored nine of FHU's first 11 points to offset Union's 7-2 start.

He opened the second half by completing a three-point play, handing the Lions their largest lead at 46-40.

The Brentwood native hit one of his two 3-pointers to tie the game at 62-62 before scoring his last 10 points in the final 5:30 to keep FHU close.

"It depends on the game," Teichmann said when asked if he had a preferred way to score. "We see what the defense is doing and find a mismatch.

"(Saturday) I played well outside."

Teichmann leads the team with 19 points and seven rebounds per game, and his efforts have become more important since FHU lost seniors Ken Bingham and Vincent Barnes.

Bingham, the team's second-leading scorer with 11 points, will have surgery on his Achilles tendon Tuesday while Barnes (five points, four rebounds) can play a lot of different positions.

Bingham played Jan. 8 in a win against Cumberland while Barnes (broken foot) has missed the past three games.

Both players could be out for the season.

"I do feel like I have a target on my back even more so," Teichmann said. "My teammates played really well (against Union), and we can carry that over.

"We are still adjusting to the injuries."

Copied from the Jackson Sun 1/17/2011. Matt Vines is the writer.

Boehler, Teichmann take conference player of the week honors

Freed-Hardeman University swept the weekly TranSouth Conference basketball player of the week awards on Monday as Meribeth Boehler earned honors on the women's side while Kyle Teichmann did the same on the men's.

Boehler, a 6-foot-2 senior from Ramer, Tenn., regained the top spot on the NAIA's scoring list after averaging 27.3 points per game during the week. She surpassed 30 points for the third time this season in a 93-58 win over Blue Mountain (Miss.) College, scoring 31 to lead the way in the win. She also posted 27 points against Tennessee Temple and 24 against Cumberland (Tenn.) University as the No. 6 Lady Lions went 3-0 on the week.

The senior currently leads the nation in scoring, averaging 24.3 points per game.

Teichmann, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Brentwood, Tenn., also had a big week offensively, averaging 23 points per game as the Lions went 2-1 for the week with a pair of conference wins. He scored 23 points in a 74-62 win at Blue Mountain and followed with 28 in a 66-64 win over Cumberland.

The Lady Lions are 13-3 on the season and 2-0 in conference play while the Lions are 10-6 overall and 2-0 in conference.

Lions post impressive win over No. 12 Lee, 90-67

HENDERSON, Tenn. - It may or may not have been a statement game, but the Freed-Hardeman Lions should definitely turn some heads following a 90-67 win over No. 12 Lee (Tenn.) University on Saturday afternoon in front of a large Homecoming crowd.

The No. 23 Lions outscored Lee 40-20 in the second half, largely because the Flames' Jerel Blocker cooled off after a blistering first half that saw the senior score 20 points.

But while he and his teammates struggled from the field in the second half, the Lions didn't.

After shooting 65.5 percent in the first half, FHU stayed hot with high-percentage looks and connected on 50 percent of its shots after halftime while Lee - which shot 63.3 percent in the first - could manage just 27.3 percent in the second half.

That helped FHU to go on runs of 10-0 and 8-0 as the Lions turned a 50-47 halftime lead into a 71-54 lead with 12:21 to play. Lee would only get as close as 13 points the rest of the way.

It was a rare double-digit win in a series that has produced close games over the last few seasons. Three of the last four meetings before today went into overtime, and the other was a two-point game decided at the buzzer.

Freed-Hardeman got a huge game from Kyle Teichmann, who had 18 first-half points on his way to a career-high 29. Cedric Austin was the only other Lion in double figures with 15.

For the second straight game, FHU connected on double-digits in 3-pointers making 13-of-23 from behind the arc. Austin and Anthony Sampson each went 3-for-4.

The Lions will play their first road game of the season on Nov. 18 as they travel to William Carey (Miss.) University for a 6:00 PM tipoff.

Lions hang on to win season opener over Bryan College

The No. 23 Freed-Hardeman Lions held off an experience Bryan (Tenn.) College team in their season opener, starting the year off with a 64-58 win on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions got 29 points from their point guard combination of Anthony Sampson and Cedric Austin. Sampson tied his career high with 16 points while Austin, in his first game back after missing the 2009-10 season, contributed 13 off the bench. Both hit big shots in crucial moments and combined to go 5-for-6 from behind the arc.

FHU led for the majority of the game but couldn't quite put away Bryan (3-2), who stayed close by knocking down mid-range jumpers and playing an aggressive defensive style that resulted in 21 turnovers by Freed-Hardeman.

The Lions, though, canned 11 3-pointers, many of which seemed to come when Bryan was chipping away at the lead.

Freed-Hardeman heads to face Murray State (Ky.) University on Tuesday night in an exhibition contest. Last season, the Racers made a Cinderella run to the NCAA Sweet 16.

COACH MEYER'S BOOK SOON TO BE RELEASED!!! SPREAD THE WORD

Coach Don Meyer represents everything that is good in our profession. He should be a standard that we all strive to reach in the way we treat our players, the way teach basketball, and the way respect the game. On November 9, a book on Coach Meyer's journey will be released. "How Lucky Can You Be" is written by Buster Olney. I've been fortunate to see some pre-writes and Buster has done an amazing job of telling Coach Meyer's story.

Here is a link with more information about the book including ways your can purchase it in advance on-line:http://bit.ly/9xlERg

I NEED A FAVOR! First, I would love for everyone that teaches or coaches any sport on any level to purchase this book. You will be a better coach/teacher for it. I purchased five for our staff. But we really need to spread the word about this book and I would very much appreciate it if everyone that reads my blog would copy this link:
...
http://bit.ly/a3Awkz
...
and email it to as many people in the coaching/teaching profession that you know.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

"Don Meyer is a dear friend to me and the entire Basketball Community. His passion to teach, to share, and to live is unmatched. Buster Olney does a magical job of capturing this truly unique man and presents him in a way that is surprising and unforgettable."
-Mike Krzyzewski, Coach of the Duke Blue Devils

"There are very few coaches who have positively impacted the game of basketball and the people who coach it as Don Meyer has done. His passion for the game, for teaching and for building character as well as his commitment to team are legendary. Coach Meyer has taught and given so much to us, and our game is better for it. This book chronicles not only his life as a coach, but his journey as a man through triumph and adversity. His story is a true inspiration and one which everyone should know."
-Pat Summitt, Coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols

"Those of us who savor fine sports journalism have long known that Buster Olney knows the baseball beat. Now, with this beautifully conceived and elegantly executed book Olney shows that he knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter."
-George F. Will, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist

First review of Buster Olney's book on Coach Don Meyer!!! http://bit.ly/a8C0m8

Copied from Coach Starkey's Blog at http://hoopthoughts.blogspot.com/

Lions looking for a return to Kansas City in 2011

HENDERSON, Tenn. - After narrowly missing out on a bid to the NAIA National Tournament last season, the Freed-Hardeman Lions are eager to earn another trip to Kansas City in 2011.

Though a solid nucleus returns, the Lions did graduate two-time All-American Zack Frey along with two other starters, Logan Greer and Kirtiss Brown.

"Those three guys had been in the program for four years and played significant roles from the time they got to Freed," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "Losing Zack, a two-time All-American, in the post is substantial."

With that in mind, the talent pool of the returning players is hardly shallow.

Leading the way are Ken Bingham and Kyle Teichmann. Bingham (6-4; Sr.) was named the TSAC Newcomer of the Year last season after averaging 15.4 points per game and shooting 83.1 percent from the foul line.

"Ken is a strong, physical wing," said Shelton. "He shoots it well, finishes at the basket and can get to the line."

Teichmann (6-6; So.) earned Freshman of the Year honors, averaging 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while backing up Frey and Greer in the four and five spots. This year, he will be expected to fill the offensive void left in the post after Frey's graduation.

"Kyle plays differently than Zack," Shelton said. "He can face the basket and is a good passer out of the post. He's not as physical [as Zack] but is a very good player in his own right. He can stretch the defense with his ability to shoot the 3 and play on the perimeter."

Also returning in the backcourt are Jesse Moulton (6-4; Sr.) and Anthony Sampson (5-3; Jr.). Moulton led the team in 3-pointers made (66) while averaging 11.4 points per game.

"Jesse has a good understanding of how to play the game, particularly in our motion offense," said Shelton. "He is a very good post feeder and knows how to get others and himself open."

Sampson, meanwhile, came into his own midway through the season to lead the team in assists (4.1 per game) and steals (1.6 per game) while posting three games with double digits in assists.

Those two will be joined by Brian Pearson (6-3; Sr.), Cedric Austin (6-0, Sr.), Jonathan Milewski (6-0, So.) and Michael Young (6-2, So.) to give the Lions a deep and talented backcourt.

Versatile forward Vincent Barnes (6-3, Sr.) elevated his level of play last season and will be counted on as a key contributor in the frontcourt this year, as will James Haddix (6-9, So.).

Austin, Pearson and Barnes have all been with the program for five years.

"They bring an understanding of how we want to try to play," Shelton said of his seniors. "They all bring different things to the table."

The Lions also look for quality minutes from redshirt freshman Daniel Gravatt (6-7), an exceptional athlete who can play multiple positions.

Shelton, who begins his sixth season, will test his team with its non-conference schedule with six games against teams which played in the national tournament last year.

Lions ranked No. 23 in preseason NAIA coaches poll

KANSAS CITY - For the second straight year the Freed-Hardeman Lions found themselves among the NAIA's top 25 preseason teams, coming in at No. 23 in the preseason poll released on Monday, Oct. 25.

The Lions were also picked to finish second in the TranSouth Conference behind defending champion Union (Tenn.) University, as was announced at the annual basketball media day held on Union's campus and broadcast on Jackson's EPlusTV6.

FHU was one of two TranSouth teams to rank in the top 25, with Union checking in at No. 10. The Bulldogs were the only conference team to play in the national tournament last March.

Ken Bingham and Jesse Moulton were among the 10 players selected to the preseason all-conference team, with Bingham finishing second in the voting behind preseason player of the year Michael France of Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) University.

The Lions open their season on Saturday, Nov. 6, hosting Bryan (Tenn.) College at 4:00 PM.

Follow the Lions on Twitter

I have set up a twitter account for the program. If you would like to follow us, go to http://twitter.com/fhulionsbball and click follow. It will have quotes of the day from practice and also some inside info. I will be tweeting as well as one of our Senior players to give everyone a peak into the every day happenings of the program.

Lions ink Chandler Mack to incoming class

The Freed-Hardeman Lion basketball team added another player to its incoming recruiting class with the recent signing of Chandler Mack of Huntsville, Ala.

Mack, a 6-foot-7 forward, played his senior season at Madison Academy in Huntsville under head coach Andy Blackston, where he helped lead the Mustangs to the AHSAA Class 3A state championship game. He averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game on his way to being named Northwest Regional MVP, Area MVP and second team All-State.

Before coming to Madison Academy, Mack played his freshman through junior seasons at Mary Carroll HS in Corpus Christi, Texas.

"The term 'tremendous upside' is thrown around a lot these days, but Chandler is definitely in that category," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "He is a 6-foot-7 athletic perimeter player who with added weight and strength will be able to excel at our level. Chandler's year with Coach Blackston has him on the right path to success."

Mack joins six other players in FHU's 2010-11 recruiting class: Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS), Ben Meis (Memphis, Tenn./FCA Nighthawks), Michael Tomlin (Jackson, Tenn./North Side HS), Quintin Lee (Ripley, Tenn./Ripley HS), Reginald Gilmore (Chattanooga, Tenn./Tyner Academy) and Sam Fleischman (Hartselle, Ala./Hartselle HS).

Chandler is the son of Brenda Mack.

Lions sign Hartselle's Fleischman for 2010-11

The Freed-Hardeman Lions expanded their incoming recruiting class for 2010-11 with the recent signing of Sam Fleischman of Hartselle, Ala.

Fleischman, a 6-foot-4 guard/forward, prepped at Hartselle High School where he averaged 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in his senior season. He is a two-time all-area and all-county selection and was named to the Decatur Daily All-Area 4A-6A team after his senior year. Fleischman shot 53 percent from the field as a senior and scored over 1000 career points.

"Sam's toughness and basketball IQ attracted us to him initially," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "His work ethic and skill will allow him to succeed on our level. He comes from a tremendously supportive community and family and we are blessed to have him joining our program."

Fleischman joins Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS), Ben Meis (Memphis, Tenn./FCA Nighthawks), Michael Tomlin (Jackson, Tenn./North Side HS), Quintin Lee (Ripley, Tenn./Ripley HS) and Reginald Gilmore (Chattanooga, Tenn./Tyner Academy) in the Lions' signing class.

Sam is the son of John and Beth Fleischman.

Lions add Tyner's Gilmore to incoming class

The Freed-Hardeman Lion basketball team picked up another player in its 2010-11 recruiting class with the recent signing of Reginald Gilmore of Chattanooga, Tenn.

Gilmore, a 6-foot-5 forward, prepped at Tyner Academy where he was an all-district, all-region and TSWA All-State selection after averaging 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds during his senior season under the direction of Coach Gerald Harris. He led the Rams to their first appearance in the state tournament since 1999 and was also named to the Chattanooga Times Free Press "Best of the Preps" team.

"Reggie's work ethic and skill level will allow him to contribute for us right away," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "He's a very good rebounder with the ability to play both facing the basket and with his back to the basket. His three years with Coach Harris have prepared him to play at the college level. He comes from a very supportive family and we are excited to have him in our program."

Gilmore joins Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS), Ben Meis (Memphis, Tenn./FCA Nighthawks), Michael Tomlin (Jackson, Tenn./North Side HS) and Quintin Lee (Ripley, Tenn./Ripley HS) in the Lions' 2010-11 signing class.Reggie is the son of Reginald and Yolanda Gilmore.

Lions' recruiting class grows with signing of Ripley's Lee

The Freed-Hardeman Lions added a fourth player to their 2010-11 recruiting class with the recent signing of Quintin Lee of Ripley, Tenn.

Lee, a 5-foot-11 point guard, prepped at Ripley HS for Coach Ralph Turner where he posted an outstanding senior season, averaging 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game on his way to being named District 13-AA MVP. He was also named all-district tournament and all-region and played in the Golden Circle All-Star Game.

He was also an all-district selection following his junior season and played AAU with the Midstate Ballerz in the summer.

"Quintin is a true point guard with a great feel for making those he plays with better," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "His 3-point shooting ability allows him to be able to break down the defense off the dribble. His high school coaches, Coach [Blaine] Mahaffey and especially this last year with Coach Turner, have prepared him to be a contributor right away at the college level."

Lee joins Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS), Ben Meis (Memphis, Tenn./FCA Nighthawks) and Michael Tomlin (Jackson, Tenn./North Side HS) in the Lions' recruiting class.

Quintin is the son of Curtis and Wanda Lee.

Lions sign North Side's Tomlin for 2010-11

The Freed-Hardeman Lions remain busy on the recruiting trail, recently signing a third player to their 2010-11 class in Michael Tomlin of Jackson, Tenn.

Tomlin, a 6-foot-6 forward, prepped at Jackson North Side HS for Coach Tony Brown, where he averaged 10 points, six rebounds and four blocks per game in his senior season, which was just his second year of organized basketball.

Tomlin received the team's "most improved" award and also received the Indian Scholastic Award after posting a 3.54 GPA. He is expected to redshirt in his first season with Freed-Hardeman and plans to major in criminal justice.

"Michael has tremendous upside," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "Redshirting will help him get acclimated into our program, and hopefully he will be able to develop his game to allow him to compete on the floor for us."

"He is a very good student and we are excited to have him in our program. Coach Brown knows what it takes to play at our level and is working to build a program that North Side can be proud of."

Tomlin joins Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS) and Ben Meis (Memphis, Tenn./FCA Nighthawks) in the Lions' signing class.

Michael is the son of Virginia Williams.

Lions add Memphis shooter for 2010-11

The Freed-Hardeman Lion basketball team added another player to its 2010-11 recruiting class with the signing of Ben Meis of Memphis, Tenn.

Meis (pronounced MEES), a 6-foot-5 guard, was named the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships (NCHBC) National Player of the Year this spring after leading the Memphis FCA Nighthawks to the Class 6A championship game. Meis averaged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the season.

In his career with the Nighthawks, Meis scored 1,809 points and was a two-time all-region selection as well as an NCHBC All-American and received the Christian Character Award. He played AAU ball in the summer with the Memphis Hoopers and the Memphis Mustangs.

"Ben is a tremendous shooter with range," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "His height allows him to get some shots that smaller guards can't get. He's a great student and a great person, and we are excited to have him in our program."

Ben is the son of Randy and Lani Meis. He joins Vincent Dotson (Charlotte, Tenn./Creek Wood HS) in the Lions' incoming class.

Lions begin signing class with Creek Wood's Dotson

The Freed-Hardeman Lion basketball team kicked off its 2010-11 signing class by addressing a need from last season with the signing of Vincent Dotson of Charlotte, Tenn.

Dotson, a 6-foot-5 forward, prepped at Creek Wood HS where he was one of the state's premier shot blockers, averaging 6.2 blocks per game in his senior season. He also averaged 9.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game on his way to all-district honors.

He holds the school record for blocks in a season (167) and blocks in a career (312). His defensive presence helped lead the RedHawks to a 24-3 record during his senior season as the team achieved its first-ever state ranking, peaking at No. 7 in the TSWA Class AA poll.

"We are excited that Vincent has chosen to be part of our program," said FHU head coach Jason Shelton. "He is gifted with the ability to block shots without fouling, which is not something many people have. He also uses his length well on the glass. He played in a good system under Coach Taylor and will be well-prepared to compete at the next level."

Vincent is the son of Martha Dotson.

Frey named second team NAIA All-American again

Freed-Hardeman University senior Zack Frey became the Lion basketball program's first two-time NAIA All-American after being named to the second team for the second straight year.

The 6-foot-8 center from Nashville, Tenn., posted career highs in both points (17.6 ppg) and rebounds (6.6 rpg) while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. Frey ranked 11th in the NAIA in field goal percentage and 14th in the nation in scoring.

He finished his career with 1872 career points, tying him for sixth all-time in Lion basketball history.

Frey played an instrumental role in helping FHU to its first national tournament appearance in 11 years as the Lions advanced to the tournament in 2009. He also helped lead the Lions to three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 1999-2002.

Frey was one of three players from the TranSouth Conference to be selected to the second team, along with TSAC Player of the Year Brandon Springer of Cumberland (Tenn.) University and Greg Truvillion of Union (Tenn.) University.

Lions gut out win over Mid-Continent, head to TSAC finals

After an all-around team effort tonight, the Freed-Hardeman Lions will get another crack at making history.

The Lions fought back from a nine-point deficit in the second half, outscoring Mid-Continent (Ky.) University by 16 points over the last 13:30 to post a 98-91 win over the Cougars in the TranSouth Conference semifinals.

In doing so, FHU became the only TranSouth team to beat MCU on its home floor this season.

The win means that Freed-Hardeman advances to its second TranSouth Conference championship game in as many years and will travel to face the team that defeated them there last season, No. 11 Union (Tenn.) University.

And an upset that took place in Chicago just moments before FHU closed out tonight's win puts more on the line in that game than a chance at program's first conference championship.

There's also a bid to the national tournament hanging in the balance for the Lions.

St. Xavier's win over Robert Morris most likely eliminated Freed-Hardeman from receiving an at-large bid to the tournament, meaning the Lions must defeat Union to receive the lone automatic bid from the TranSouth Conference.

That's what made tonight's win all the more important, though the Lions didn't know it until afterward.

After building an early nine-point lead, FHU began to fall victim to foul trouble with Zack Frey, Logan Greer and Ken Bingham all picking up two fouls in the first half. With a shallow bench in the post, Lion coach Jason Shelton had little choice but to go with a lineup that featured its tallest player at 6-foot-4 in order to keep any of Frey, Greer or Bingham from getting a third foul.

The calculated risk worked.

Despite Mid-Continent getting a significant size advantage of the last seven minutes of the half, the Cougars could only gain four points on the Lions as the teams went into halftime tied at 47.

The Cougars, though, began to pull away early in the second half. FHU made only three of its first 10 shots from the floor while MCU scored on seven of its first eight possessions of the half to open it on a 17-8 run and take a 64-55 lead with 13:45 to play.

But Freed-Hardeman answered with six straight points to set the stage for the half-minute that Shelton said changed the game.

After a basket by MCU's Donovan Willis, Anthony Sampson nailed a 3-pointer and followed with an acrobatic shot in the lane 20 seconds later to erase a five-point deficit and tie the game at 68-68 with 9:20 left. It was the starting point for a 21-4 run that saw the Lions go ahead by 12 points with 3:31 to play.

The Cougars began fouling shortly thereafter to stop the clock, and FHU connected on 13-of-18 free throws in the final 2:30 to make a late push by Mid-Continent come up a little short. MCU got within five points on a Joshua Woodley 3-pointer with :16 left, but Bingham hit 1-of-2 from the line and David Gratton missed a 3-pointer with :11 left that would have made it a one-possession game.

The five misses from the line near the end of the game were the only free throws that were off the mark for FHU, which made its first 23 attempts from the foul line and finished 36-of-41 for the game.

The Lions also got big nights from four players who normally aren't counted on for scoring.

Sampson, who was coming off a 1-for-8 shooting performance on Thursday, scored a career-high 16 points while hitting 4-of-5 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Vince Barnes scored a career high 13 points for the second straight game while grabbing a team-leading six rebounds.

Kirtiss Brown, who has battled an ankle injury since January, had a season-high 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, and Brian Pearson nailed two big 3-pointers in the first half on his way to nine points.

Their performances helped make up for a rough outside shooting night from Bingham, Greer and Jesse Moulton, who combined to shoot just 1-of-16 from behind the arc. Bingham, however, made 15-of-16 from the foul line on his way to posting a team-high 17 points.

Zack Frey also had 14 points for Freed-Hardeman, which shot 47.5 percent from the floor for the game.

The Lions face Union at 7:00 PM on Tuesday night at Union's Fred Delay Gymnasium, where the Bulldogs beat FHU 105-78 for the conference title last season.

Frey, Bingham, Teichmann among seven Lions honored by TSAC

The Freed-Hardeman Lions were well-represented in the 2010 TranSouth Conference postseason awards released on Wednesday, March 3, placing three players on the all-conference squads while also taking honors for newcomer of the year and freshman of the year.

Zack Frey and Ken Bingham were both first-team selections while Jesse Moulton was named to the second team. Bingham was also named TranSouth Newcomer of the Year and Kyle Teichmann was honored as the TranSouth Freshman of the Year.

Frey was named to the first team for the third straight season after scoring 17.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 59.0 percent from the field.

Bingham, who transferred to FHU from Three Rivers (Mo.) Community College, was second on the team in scoring behind Frey at 15.1 points per game and shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range.

Moulton finished the regular season averaging 11.1 points per game and made a team-leading 57 3-pointers in being named to the second team for the second straight year.

Teichmann had an impressive freshman season, coming off the bench to average 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Frey was also a TranSouth Conference Scholar Athlete along with Tyler Jean, Brian Pearson and Logan Greer after meeting the qualifications with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.