CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Nine Lee University players scored as the Lady Flames opened the 2025-26 basketball season with a 75-61 victory over Florida Southern College in the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Crossover Challenge being hosted at Walker Arena. In Friday's opening game, the University of Tampa defeated the University of Alabama in Huntsville 71-63.
Play will continue on Saturday. Florida Southern and UAH are scheduled for a 10 a.m. start while Lee and Tampa will tangle at 12 noon.
Baylee Delbridge came off the bench to score 16 points in leading the Lady Flames win. Anna Muhonen and Kara Williams followed with 11 points each while Libby Privett finished with nine points, four rebounds and four assists. Keira Leffew tossed in eight points and led the rebounding with nine. Williams pulled down seven rebounds while Abby McFarland gave Lee a lift off the bench with six points and five rebounds.
The Lee defense held the Mocs to only 35% overall shooting (18-of-21) and 23% from beyond the arc (5-of-22). The visitors did cash in from the charity stripe, making 20-of-25 attempts. The Lady Flames outrebounded the Mocs with a commanding 43-26 margin.
Lee shot a solid 48% from the field (30-of-63). Williams made three triples as the Lady Flames converted 35% from long range (8-of-23). They were awarded only nine freebies and made seven. Lee turned the basketball over 16 times to 13 for the visitors.
Sydney Gomes was the only Moc in double-figure scoring (12 points). Lily Randgaard and Nia Blocton tallied nine points apiece while Catalina Ion totaled seven points before leaving the contest with an injury.
Lee jumped out to a 19-9 lead after the end of the first period and the Lady Flames led 33-24 at halftime. With reserves playing a major role, Lee outscored Florida Southern 24-13 in the third quarter and led 57-37 at the third stop. Coach Marty Rowe used all his reserves in the final minutes and the Mocs outscored Lee 24-18 in the final period.
Coach Marty Rowe's thoughts:
"This was a really good first step for our team, I thought we competed with purpose and urgency from the start. It is going to take a while for this team's identity to evolve, but we have to defend and rebound with pride every game. I thought a big key today was how we played through foul trouble, especially in the first half. Tomorrow is be a great test for us. Tampa is so different than Florida Southern on both ends of the court. We will need another great effort from everyone in our program."
