No.7 Oklahoma Wesleyan outlasts No. 1 Freed-Hardeman, 84-78 to earn a trip to NAIA title game.

by | Mar 25, 2025 | Basketball, College Sports, Headlines | 0 comments

2025 NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship –
For the first time since 2009 the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles have advanced to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship game, as they defeated No. 1 Freed-Hardeman, 84-78, on Monday night in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

FINAL SCORE

No. 7 Oklahoma Wesleyan (28-7) def. No. 1 Freed-Hardeman (30-6) | 84-78

For the second time in program history, No. 7 Oklahoma Wesleyan will play for the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship after an 84-78 win over No. 1 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.).

Freed-Hardeman has been eliminated from championship play.

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS – Oklahoma Wesleyan

• Oklahoma Wesleyan improves to 28-7 on the season.
• OKWU defeated the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 seeded teams in the Liston Quadrant to advance to the NAIA Fab Four.
• They have now won five-straight games.
• This is the third time that head coach Donnie Bostwick has advanced to the NAIA National title game.
• He won the NAIA National Championship in 2009 with Oklahoma Wesleyan and led SAGU (Texas) to the national title game in 2013, falling to Georgetown (Ky.).
• OKWU forced 15 turnovers.
• The Eagles led at the half, 42-40, and outscored the Lions, 42-38, in the second half.
• Dylan Phillip led the way for OKWU with 24 points off the bench.
• Derrick Talton Jr. also added 23 for the Eagles.
• Jaden Lietzke led the squad in rebounds with eight.

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS – Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)

• Freed Hardeman ends its season with a record of 30-5
• This marked their second Fab Four in program history, the other took place in 2022.
• Freed-Hardeman outrebounded OKWU, 36-32.
• Peyton Law and Jordan Stephens both had a team-high 22 points.
• Law finished with a double-double with 10 rebounds.
• FHU shot 52-percent from the field on 26-of-50.
• Law also had a team-high three blocks.

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