Box Score VALDOSTA, Ga. – Despite having four players score in double figures, the Lee University men's basketball team fell to Valdosta State University 78-71 in the final game of 2024. With the loss the Flames are now 4-6 overall and 0-6 in conference action.
Noah Boler-Kyle led the Flames in the loss. He was one rebound short of a double-double has he had 17 points and nine rebounds. He also added four assists and three block. Marlon Smith had 15 points while Tariq Daughton and Zach Gray had 13 and 11 respectively.
Carlos Hart had 29 points for the Blazers as he was 11-for-13 from the free throw line. VSU had 11 three-point buckets while Lee only managed three.
VSU ran out quickly in the first half and lead 18-9 early. They never managed to have a bigger lead as the Flames quickly responded with their own run to cut the gap down to 21-19. Lee forced one tie at 26 in the first half but went into the break trail 36-33.
The Flames came out on a mission to start the last twenty minutes. Behind Boler-Kyle, Lee went on a 16-6 run to lead 49-42. However VSU did not go away and behind Hart's three point shots stayed in the game and eventually retook the lead at 53-51. Despite the Flames tying the game multiple times down the stretch, they could never retake the lead. Braxton Williams and Hart each hit several free throws to the game out of reach in the the last two minutes.
The Flames had 48 points in the paint to just 28 for the Blazers and both teams had 29 rebounds.
Lee will now have two weeks before taking on Trevecca Nazarene. They will be at home on Saturday, January 4 at 4 PM.
Coach Bubba Smith's Thoughts:
"I was proud of our fight today. It's certainly not the start we anticipated, but we get a chance to hit the reset button at the break. I thought our effort today was worthy to win and you can win a lot of games playing that way. We just have to find a way to finish games and not let one guy beat us. I know our guys believe that, and are committed to being that the rest of the season. I could see it tonight and their work over the last couple weeks has been the most consistent we've had all year. Sometimes it just takes a little longer to show up. We have wins ahead of us and our guys believe that as well. We just have to stay connected and keep at it."
