CARROLLTON, Ga. – The Lee University men's basketball team lost its second consecutive Gulf South Conference game with a 74-66 defeat at the University of West Georgia (7-3, 4-0 GSC). The Flames are now 6-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play heading into Monday's game at West Alabama. The GSC contest is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST.
The Flames trailed by 10 with 1:24 left in the game before scoring seven points over the next 20 seconds to cut the deficit to three with 1:04 remaining. Lee was unable to get any closer and West Georgia made 5-of-8 free throws to supply the final margin.
"We were decent tonight," said Lee head coach Bubba Smith. "To win on the road, you have to be better than that. West Georgia was not their best today and it really wasn't anything we did to keep us that close."
Keevin Tyus led the Lee offense with 17 points and five rebounds. Rico Overall added 12 markers and five boards, while Jervon Johnson rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points. Johnson also grabbed seven rebounds.
Ryan Montgomery recorded a team-high eight rebounds to go with eight points. Levi Woods and Cody Jones were the team leaders with three assists each.
Lee made 23-of-75 shots (.307) from the field and were 8-for-30 (.267) from behind the arc. The Wolves were 24-for-53 (.453) from the floor and 4-for-14 (.286) from distance. The big difference was at the free throw line. Lee took 17 trips to the line and converted 12, while the hosts were 22-for-37 at the stripe.
The Flames turned the ball over just nine times and forced West Georgia into 13 floor mistakes to outscore the Wolves in points off turnovers 19-10.
"We'll need to be much tougher and stronger on Monday," added Smith. "Hopefully we'll bounce back and be ready to go next time around."
