Thu, Mar 4, 2010 - [Men's Basketball]
HENDERSON, Tenn. - The old adage that says it's hard to beat a team three times in one season almost came true on Thursday night.
Almost.
The Freed-Hardeman Lions overcame a 12 point second half deficit and won a thriller over Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College, 83-81, in the quarterfinal round of the TranSouth Conference tournament in what will likely be the Lions' final home game of the season.
The sixth-seeded RedHawks (18-13) closed the first half on a 14-3 run to take a 44-37 lead into halftime, sticking with a zone that resulted in 19 3-point attempts by the Lions in the first half.
Martin Methodist then opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Chris Goodwin and a runner in the lane by Marques Washington to take their largest lead of the game at 49-37. The RedHawks still had a 12-point advantage with 16:42 left after making five of their first seven shots of the half.
The Lions (21-10) needed an answer, and they got one in the form of Ken Bingham. Bingham scored nine straight points on a trio of 3-pointers over a four-possession span to bring Freed-Hardeman within three points.
But Martin Methodist held the Lions off and got back up by seven on a Cory Perkins basket that was allowed after he was called for an offensive foul. Vincent Barnes followed by making both ends of a one-and-one, then picked up a loose ball near mid-court and converted on a three-point play to get FHU within two points with 10:51 left.
The Lions had chances to tie or take the lead after getting stops on MMC's next two possessions, but turned the ball over both times before Marques Washington gave the RedHawks a two-basket cushion.
Jesse Moulton answered by nailing one of his six 3-pointers to kick-start an 11-3 run that saw FHU take its first lead since late in the first half after Zack Frey converted a lay-up with 5:43 left. Brian Pearson's two free throws on the next possession finished the run that gave the Lions a 72-69 lead, but Washington scored five straight points to put the RedHawks back up by two with 4:46 to play.
FHU retook the lead at 78-76 on Barnes' shot in the lane a minute and a half later to set the stage for a pair of huge 3-pointers, one from each team.
Chris Goodwin drilled a 3-pointer off left wing to put the RedHawks back up by one and after both teams followed with missed opportunities, Moulton nailed a 3-pointer of his own from the left side to put the Lions up for good with 1:59 to play.
Will Shackleford missed the front end of a one-and-one for Martin Methodist and the Lions got another big basket inside from Barnes to take a four-point lead.
The RedHawks still had life, though, as Bodison hit a jumper from the baseline with 28 seconds left. After the Lions broke an MMC press, Frey missed an open lay-up to give Martin a chance to tie or win at the buzzer - after the clock malfunctioned and stopped the game with 17 seconds to play.
Goodwin attempted to get free on the left side but was bottled up and dished off to Bodison, whose 3-pointer from 27 feet was well off the mark.
Bingham and Moulton each scored 18 points to lead the Lions, with 15 of Bingham's coming in the second half. Barnes scored a career-high 13 points and Frey added 12 while facing double-teams most of the night. Washington paced the RedHawks with 19 points while Shackleford posted a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
Freed-Hardeman, sitting on the bubble for an at-large bid to the national tournament, travels to face second-seeded Mid-Continent (Ky.) University in the semifinals on Saturday at 7:00 PM.
