The Dordt University men's basketball team had its season come to an end with a 65-53 loss to 21st-ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) in the championship game of the Henderson Bracket of the NAIA National Championship - 1st and 2nd round, played this evening in Henderson, Tenn.
Dordt ends the season with a 26-7 overall record; Freed-Hardeman advances to the final site, Kansas City, Mo., with a 25-8 record.
Bryce Coppock led Dordt with 15 points 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season and one of three players to score in double figures for the Defenders. Seniors
Cade Bleeker and
Jacob Vis closed out their careers with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Bleeker scored Dordt's first seven points, the final on a three-pointer at the 16:33 mark to give the Defenders its last lead, 7-5. The teams traded baskets for a six-minute stretch with the host Lions moving in front by two, 15-13, with 12 minutes left in the first half.
Freed-Hardeman followed with a 14-0 run, holding the Defenders scoreless for eight minutes, to open its largest lead (29-13) after a lay-up by Hunter Scurlock at the 5-minute mark. Dordt trimmed the lead down to 11 (34-23) by halftime with a basket by
Lucas Lorenzen.
Dordt slowly chipped away at the Lions lead in the second half and made it a one possession game after
Jackson Louscher completed an 8-3 run with a free throw at the 10-minute mark. Still just a four-point game (47-43) with 8:28 left, Freed-Hardeman put the game away with a 10-3 run, pushing their lead back up to 11 with four minutes left. Dordt did not closer than eight the rest of the way.
By the Numbers...
- Dordt was held to a season-low 35% from the field, 25% (6/24) from the 3-point line
- the Defenders held a 38-33 advantage on the glass and held the Lions to just three offensive rebounds
- the Defenders were forced into a season-high 17 turnovers
- Coppock pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and recorded his second double-double of the season
- Luke Rankin dished out three assists
- Vis scored in double figures in his 32nd game this season; Coppock in his 31st
- Brandon Thomas led Freed-Hardeman with 18 points, making good on 9-of-17 field goal attempts
- JJ Wheat returned to action after missing Tuesday's game with injury and scored 14 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line
- Freed-Hardeman shot 44% from the field, 11% (2/19) from beyond the arc
