CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Coming off a final preconference road victory over Claflin University (SC), the Lee University men's basketball team will open Gulf South Conference play on Thursday (8:30 EST) at the University of Montevallo and move on down to face Auburn University at Montgomery on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 (EST).
The unbeaten 4-0 Flames will test a Montevallo club with a 4-2 mark. The Falcons traveled to Lakeland, Fla. for the GSC/SSC Crossover and defeated Barry before losing to Nova Southeastern. The other loss came to Cumberland University (Tenn.) while wins were against Spring Hill (Ala.), Point University (Ga.) and Carolina Christian.
The Flames racked up impressive home wins over the University of Tennessee Southern, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Lane College before Giancarlo Valdez scored the game-winning layup with 1.9 seconds remaining to give Lee a 74-72 win over Claflin in Orangeburg, SC.
The balanced Lee scoring attack is led by Willie Walton. He usually comes off the bench to give the Flames extra spark and averages 15.7 ppg. Valdez posts a 13.8 ppg mark and directs the team with 22 assists. Noah Boler-Kyle stands at 12.5 ppg and 5 rpg. Marion Smith rounds out the double-figure scoring, 11.3 ppg.
The Falcons feature a high-scoring offense, over 85 points per game. Like the Flames, four players score in double figures, led by Jaylen Curry (16.7 ppg). Brandon Fussell is right behind (16.2 ppg.) and Camden Andrews scores at a 14 ppg pace. Jay Gillispie is called on to clean up the glass, averaging a team-leading 5.8 rpg.
Auburn Montgomery is under the direction of veteran coach Michael Cheaney who is in his 11th season with the Warhawks. In a pair of Crossover games, AUM lost to Florida Southern and defeated St. Leo. They won over Georgia College, lost to Lincoln (Mo.) and improved to 3-2 on the season with a win over Miles College.
AUM's Malachi Rhodes has proven to be a load for opponents this season. The 6-foot-8 graduate student averages 13.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg. Trent Coleman is another top board man (9.3 rpg). Between Rhodes and Coleman the Warhawks depend on the pair for an average of over 22 of their 35 rebounds per game.
Both games will video stream on FloCollege, and fans can listen on the Lee Flames Sports Radio Network. Thursday's game will be on ESPN Cleveland 101.3 and Saturday's game will be on WCLE 99.1.
Coach Bubba Smith's Thoughts:
"I think our team and probably the rest of the league are ready to start GSC play. We know what is ahead of us. Four road games and home games against UWA and UAH; could not be a harder schedule to start GSC play, but at least we will know a lot about our team in the next few weeks.
We were fortunate to pick up our last game against Claflin. Having to play on the road in a tight game was something we needed, and finding a way to win those (type) games can't be created in practice.
It is a long season. We just need to be a team that focuses on one day at a time, one game at a time."
