Fri, Nov 6, 2009 - [Women's Basketball]
HENDERSON, Tenn. - Seven players scored in double figures as the No. 6 Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions cruised to a 98-64 victory over Midway (Ky.) College in their season opener on Friday night.
FHU opened the game on a 16-4 run on the strength of a trio of 3-pointers, two by Tara Deatheridge and another from Whitney Johnson, but Midway clawed its way back over the next five minutes to cut the Lady Lion lead down to four points at 28-24 with 10:57 to go in the first half. Freed-Hardeman extended its lead back to 10 points but Midway was still within striking distance after a Whitley Henry 3-pointer that cut the lead to 38-31 with 4:16 left.
Four minutes later, the game was out of reach.
The Lady Lions closed the half on a 13-2 run, going 5-of-7 from the floor and forcing five Midway turnovers during the stretch to take a 51-33 lead into the break.
The second half opened with more of the same as FHU pushed ahead by 30 points at 64-34 with 16:32 left on the heels of a 13-1 run.
Jana Cross led all scorers with 17 points while going 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Meribeth Boehler recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and also added six assists out of the post. FHU's backcourt trio of Tara Deatheridge (14), Whitney Johnson (15), and Hannah Parsley (12) combined for 41 points and nine steals. Parsley also dished out six assists.
Freshmen Maria Bagwell and Natalie Shumpert each had impressive debuts with 10 points apiece. Bagwell also pulled down seven rebounds.
FHU shot 44.2 percent from the floor while holding Midway to 37.5 percent and 31.6 percent in the second half. The Lady Lions forced 25 turnovers and outrebounded the Eagles, 52-39.
The Lady Lions (1-0) face their first ranked opponent of the season tomorrow as they host No. 22 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), which lost earlier in the day to No. 20 Bethel (Tenn.) University, 67-54.
Notes: FHU has won eight consecutive season openers. The last time FHU lost its first game of the year was on Nov. 6, 2001, in a 82-80 loss to Lambuth (Tenn.) University...The Lady Lions last had seven players scoring in double figures on Jan. 22, 2009, in a 102-54 win over Mid-Continent (Ky.) University...Parsley set a new career high in assists tonight with six. Her previous high was four, recorded against Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) on Dec. 4, 2008.
