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Playing some of their best basketball of the season, the Lee women exploded for 45 points in the second half in route to a 90-67 victory over a talented Alabama Huntsville team in the opening round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament inside Walker Arena on Tuesday evening.
 
The Lady Flames advanced to the semifinal round of the GSC tournament and will face West Georgia on Saturday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. (EST). The Wolves upset second-seeded West Florida. The semifinals and finals will be played at Sanford University (Birmingham, Ala.).
 
Four Lady Flames finished in double figures as they shot 52 percent from the field and made 7-of-17 triples (41 percent). They knocked down 15-of-18 charity tosses. Taylor Boggess led the attack with 21 points. She was 8-of-13 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 at the line.
 
Abby Bertram, a member of the GSC All-Conference first team, followed closely with 20 points. Haley Schubert, named the GSC Freshman of the Year, posted 15 points and Lindsey Roddy totaled 12 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
 
"I'm really proud of this basketball team and their effort tonight," said head coach Marty Rowe. "We got a lot of good play from several players. I thought Halle Hughes (four points, four rebounds) was tremendous. Freshman Cam Grant gave us some good moments when we were in foul trouble. Now, we just have to go to Birmingham and give the same kind of effort against a West Georgia team that beat us in our last meeting."
 
Defense was certainly a key in the victory. The Lady Flames managed a 21-17 lead at the first break and then scored late in the second frame to pull out to a 45-36 lead at the half. Rowe's club was on fire in the third and early in the fourth periods and took charge of the contest with a 33 point lead.
 
While the Chargers shot 42 percent overall from the field, they attempted 20 3-pointers and converted just three, a key point in the victory. Alabama Huntsville was awarded 23 free throws but managed to connect on just 11, another factor in the battle.
 
Baylee Johnson paced the losers with 28 points. Aryn Sanders was the only other player in double figures with 13 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. Morgan Tipton, who left the game with an injury in the first half, returned to finish with eight markers.
 
The Lady Flames dominated the glass, pulling down 44 boards to just 27 for the Chargers. While Roddy was the leader, Boggess and Bertram claimed five apiece. Schubert and Becca Cheeks pulled down four each.
 
Lee out-ran the visitors in the third and fourth quarters and out-scored the Chargers 21-6 on fast break points. They totaled 15 second-chance points to only two for the Huntsville club and with deep foul trouble in the first half, got key help from reserves to claim and 18-14 margin.