HENDERSON, Tenn. — College basketball reigns supreme in the month of March. Any and all sports fans are captivated by the spectacle that is the NCAA tournament, passionately offering unyielding support to 68 teams from all over the country. It is easy to gravitate towards this three week event, however, the madness that ensues in March does not merely apply to Division 1 schools.
This week, Kansas City will host the final 16 qualifiers for the NAIA men’s basketball national tournament. The Freed Hardeman Lions are among this year’s field, earning a second straight trip back to the national stage.
Few programs across the nation have found success in such a short period of time like Freed Hardeman. Since taking over as head coach in 2019, Drew Stutts has quickly developed FHU into a nationally known name in NAIA basketball. Stutts holds the title of the school’s fastest men’s basketball coach to reach 50 wins, while leading the Lions to back-to-back Mid South Conference championships.
“In a humbling way, I think we are a national contender,” said Stutts. “I think when you are a one seed in a field of 64, you have to consider yourself as one of the best programs in the nation.”
For the past five years, Stutts has been building a culture of unity and hard work. His players have bought into his system and have displayed it on the court. This year’s team motto has been, “Today is the Day,” focusing on the present task at hand rather than looking ahead to big conference matchups throughout the season or even the national tournament. That mindset led the Lions to a rapid jump in the national polls early in the season, eventually propelling them to 28 wins heading into Thursday’s game in the Sweet 16.
“To be honest, we weren’t expecting this level of success this year,” said Stutts. I knew we would have another team that would be really solid, but losing our leading scorer off of last year’s team coming into this year, we were a little unsure about who would step up and assume some of the scoring abilities. I’ve been really thankful for how this team has come together. This is an unselfish team that plays the game together.”
That sense of togetherness can actually be seen within Freed Hardeman’s season statistics. Offensive production can truly come from anywhere on the roster. Quan Lax currently leads the Lions in scoring at 13.6 points-per-game, followed closely behind by J.J. Wheat at 13.3 points-per-game. Nine individuals have led FHU in scoring at different points throughout the season, further proving just how versatile this offense can be.
However, the Lions have earned their living this year on defense. One of the nation’s top 5 defensive teams, Freed Hardeman has held opponents to an average of 63.3 point-per-game, scoring 22.0 points-per-game off of turnovers. Their unit will be put to the test in their next matchup, as FHU will face The Master’s (CA) this Thursday afternoon, a team coming off of a 122-point performance in their qualifying victory in the Round of 32.
“They certainly have our full attention,” said Stutts. “In some ways I think that is good for us. I think our guys like a challenge, and they’re definitely going to be one.”
Some teams that advance this far in the tournament often have to overcome the mental aspects of playing in such a pivotal game. Having just competed in Kansas City a year ago, Coach Stutts believes his group can use a mental advantage to not only compete, but win a few games.
“Experience is just a huge advantage period,” said Stutts. “I think as team we’re going to be a lot more comfortable and prepared. I think our mindset is different this time. We feel like we should be there, and hopefully we’ll do a little damage while we’re there.”
The month of March here in 2024 could really be a turning point for the Freed Hardeman men’s program. Finding success over the next week in Kansas City could define FHU’s future in recruiting and overall national status. Not too long ago, the goal for this program was to simply qualify for the national tournament. Moving forward, it appears the goal could shift towards winning an NAIA national title.
“It’s about us, it’s about our culture and how hard we play,” said Stutts. “When you have a team and a staff that buys into that, good things happen. I definitely think we’re one of the best small college basketball programs in the nation right now.”
The Lions will take the floor in the Sweet 16 this Thursday in Kansas City against the #5 seed The Master’s (CA). Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
