The third-seeded Lee men's basketball team will host sixth-seeded University of Florida for the third time when the two rivals tangle on Tuesday (8 p.m.) in the quarterfinal round of the Gulf South Conference Championship. A victory would advance the Flames to the semifinal round Saturday at the Pete Hanna Center on the campus of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama against the winner of second-seeded Union University and seventh-seeded Montevallo University. West Alabama is top-seeded and faces eighth-seeded Delta State. Fourth-seeded Alabama Huntsville and West Georgia will be battling for the right to challenge the winner of West Alabama and Delta. The championship game is slated for Sunday. 

Lee coach Bubba Smith looked at the eight teams in the tournament and observed, "The GSC has been evenly balanced all season and anyone in the field of eight can win the tournament if they get hot over the week. We know it is not always the best team that wins the tournament, but the one who gets hot and plays well at the right time." 

The Flames (18-8, 14-6) and Argonauts (18-10,11-9) split their two meetings this season. The Argos won at Lee on Dec. 11, 74-71 and the Flames got revenge at West Florida on Feb. 19, 74-67. Lee has won five straight during that period. "Tournament time is different, and it takes on a whole new feeling and adds pressure," remarked Coach Smith. "For most teams your season is 40 minutes from being over and that is the reality." 

Smith admits just playing UWF recently and facing them again will be a challenge. "Jeff (Burkhamer's) teams are well prepared and well coach. I know he will find ways to attack us and make adjustments. We will have to find ways to make our own adjustments Tuesday and stay together and connected as a team. We have been doing some things well and we must continue to do those things, while eliminating mistakes and executing well late in games. I think we have grown in those areas the last month of our season and it has produced some winning basketball."

David Sofield is the top Argo scorer. The 6-foot-7 sophomore averages 17 points and four rebounds. Wendell Matthews follows at 13 points and a team leading six boards. LaTrell Tate stands at 9.5 ppg and Jejuan Weatherspoon averages 5.5 rebounds.

Quay Kennedy tallied a career-high 39 points in his last meeting with the Argos. He averages 14.6 points and a team-leading six rebounds. Jayce Willingham is solid at 12.6 and 5.2 and the same can be said for Michael McGuirk 11.1 and 4.4. Beyuan Hendricks stands at 9.5 ppg and has moved his assist total up to an even 100. From his point guard position, he has gone inside for four rebounds per outing. Makhi McGuire, Noah Boler and PJay Smith have given Coach Smith a quality eight-man rotation.  

"We are looking forward to the challenge and our guys are excited to be hosting a first game on Tuesday," the coach said in closing. 

The game can be heard locally on the Mix 104.1 FM. Live streaming of the game will be through?www.FloSports.com?and will require a subscription to view all GSC postseason games.?