Langston University got as close as you could get to the promised land of the NAIA Tournament on Tuesday night without actually getting in.
Langston saw a six-point lead with less than a minute remaining turn into a 71-67 loss in Kansas City at the NAIA Tournament finals.
Freed-Hardeman trailed 67-61 with 55 seconds remaining, but clawed its way back thanks to a fierce full-court press and aided by several questionable no-calls down the stretch. It finished the game on a 10-0 run to win its first-ever national title.
Langston University led 40-31 at halftime and led by as many as 13 points in the second half, but Freed-Hardeman got back into the game and managed to take the lead several times in the second half. LU went on an 8-1 run to take the six-point lead before FHU’s press forced multiple turnovers and it got to the free throw line for five attempts in the final 55 seconds of the game.
Langston completed the season with a 35-2 record in its second season under Chris Wright. It won the Sooner Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and became the first HBCU to land in the NIT game since Talladega College in 2022. That team was coached by Chris Wright.