HENDERSON, Tenn. – The Campbellsville University's men's basketball team traveled to Freed-Hardeman University to compete against the Lions Saturday afternoon. The Tigers head back to Campbellsville with an 80-67 loss to their Mid-South Conference opponent.
To begin the game, a jump ball took the Tigers to an early lead with two points by Jace Wallace. The Lions answered back and grabbed a two-point lead of their own. A shot by Jarius Key tied the Tigers and the Lions at 9. The Lion went on an 8-0 run and extended their lead at 17-9. Key stopped the deluge with a two-point shot, trying to chip away at the Tigers' six-point deficit. The Lions rattled off another run and took the game to a nine-point lead, 24-13. Darius Harding responded with a three-pointer to try to stave the growing point differential. The Tigers were down five with four minutes left in the half and then De Sousa cut the lead to only three at 24-21. From there though, the Lions took to an 11-point lead, 32-21, with two minutes to go in the half. After a couple of threes and an and-one, Harding brought the Tigers back within four points. At the end of the first half, the Tigers struggled to stay with the Lions as they led by six points: 36-30.
The Tigers had a field goal percentage of 47%, a three-point percentage of 42%, and a free throw percentage of 83%. Compared to the Lions, their free throw percentage was the only percentage above the Tigers (Freed-Hardeman's field goal percentage was 42% and their three-point percentage was 40%).
To start the second half, Sam Weining hit his first and second three point baskets of the day cutting the Lions' lead to two, 38-36. Ryan was sent to the free point line and went one-for-two. The Tigers began drawing fouls at that point with Wallace also sent to the line. With seven minutes left in the second half, the Tigers were behind 63-52 and Carmical was sent to the line where he converted both. The Tigers were simply unable to best the point buffer the Lions had sustained nearly the entirety of the game. The story was that Freed-Hardeman were taking more threes and making more as all other major statistic categories were similar. The Lions made 11 for the contest and the Tigers only sunk five. The Tigers ultimately fell to Freed-Hardeman 80-67.
In the second half, the Tigers field goal percentage ended at 44%, their three-point percentage fell to 33%, and their free throw percentage stayed relatively steady at 78%. Harding and De Sousa led the Tigers in points with 16 points each. Key had seven rebounds on the night.
The Tigers will be on the road again Monday to take on Shawnee State University. The game is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
