CLEVELAND, Tennessee-Host Lee opened the game with a 16-3 run and never trailed as they handed the Christian Brothers University Bucs an 84-74 loss Saturday, snapping the Bucs' win streak at five.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Flames (13-11, 8-9 GSC) made seven of their first nine shots in the run, capped by a Colton Blevins layup that gave them a 16-3 lead with 14:48 remaining in the first half.
• CBU (18-7, 10-7) answered with a 9-3 burst to draw within 19-12 on a
Joe Laravie (Kettering, Ohio/Alter HS) layup with 11:40 remaining in the half.
• Lee answered with a six-point burst to restore their lead to double figures, and a 7-0 spurt later in the half, capped by a Blevins jumper, gave them their largest lead of the game at 36-19 with 5:07 remaining in the half.
• The Bucs used a 10-2 burst to come back within single digits when
Jeff Larkin (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) opened the second-half scoring with a layup with 19:13 remaining to trim the deficit to 38-29.
• CBU made its strongest challenge early in the second half as another 9-2 burst brought them within 47-43 on another Larkin layup with 15:43 to play.
• The Flames rebuilt their lead with a 13-2 run capped by a pair of Blevins free throws that gave them a 60-45 lead with 12:10 remaining.
• CBU scored nine straight to answer, coming within 60-54 on an
Adam Dieball (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East HS) three with 9:53 remaining.
• Lee answered with another 6-0 run, and they never allowed the Bucs closer than eight points in the final nine minutes.
KEY STATS:
• Larkin scored a game-high 24 points with three assists.
• Dieball scored 19 with six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
•
Jacob Lyons (Hernando, Miss./Christian Brothers HS) scored a career-best 12 points with five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.
• Laravie added 11.
• The Bucs shot 43.4 percent (23-of-53) overall, including 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from three-point range. Lee finished 54.4 percent (31-of-57) overall, including 50 percent (9-of-18) from beyond the arc.
• Lee out-rebounded the Bucs 32-25, including a 6-5 edge in offensive rebounds. CBU committed 10 turnovers to the Flames' nine.
GSC STANDINGS:
With three games remaining, Valdosta State sits in first place at 16-1, followed by west Florida at 14-3 and West Alabama at 13-4 (PENDING WIN OVER MC). Despite the loss, the Bucs maintain sole possession of fourth place at 10-7 due to Delta State's win at Montevallo Saturday. DSU and Montevallo are tied for fifth at 9-8, followed by North Alabama and Lee, who are tied for seventh place at 8-9, with Alabama Huntsville in ninth at 7-10.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Bucs play two of their last three games at home. They host Delta State Wednesday night at 7 p.m. before visiting Auburn Montgomery Saturday at 4 p.m. They wrap up the regular season Thursday, Feb. 22, when they host Union at 7 p.m.
