Box Score PENSACOLA, Fla. – Host University of West Florida outscored the Lee women's basketball team by four points in the final 43 seconds and claimed an important 64-60 GSC victory over the Lady Flames on Saturday afternoon. The loss dropped Lee to 11-6 in conference play and 15-7 overall while the Argonauts improved to 9-7, 12-9.
The Lady Flames grabbed a 60-58 lead on a layup by Anna Muhonen with 1:42 remaining. Lee missed an opportunity to move on top by four after a failed layup attempt. The Argos tied the contest at 60 on a layup by Isabel Grimes with 43 seconds remaining.
Lee failed on another layup and had another shot blocked. West Florida came back and took the lead for good on a score by Amelia Bell with 13 seconds left. The Lady Flames missed a tying shot at the 00:07 mark, quickly got the rebound but a turnover ended any hopes.
Lee lost the battle of the boards 51-39, which Coach Marty Rowe pointed out was a main part of the decision. Neither team shot the basketball that well. The Lady Flames made 34% from the field (22-of-65) and hit only 4-of-24 triples (17%). They struggled from the line, hitting 12-of-21 (57%).
The Argonauts shot 35% overall (20-of-57) and hit 2-of-19 3-pointers (11%). They won the game from the line, making 22-of-34 (65%). Lee had only 14 floor mistakes and forced West Florida into 19 turnovers.
Abby McFarland was Lee's top scorer with 14 points. She also had five rebounds. Libby Privett followed with 13 points and six boards. Muhonen played 27 minutes due to foul problems but pulled down 12 rebounds while scoring seven points.
Bell dominated the Lady Flames with a double-double, 16 points and 14 rebounds. Grimes hit 8-of-9 charity tosses and finished with 14 points while Finley Kennedy was 4-of-5 from the line and tallied 10 markers.
Lee will have time to prepare for another important GSC contest when they host an old rival in Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday (Feb. 14) at 2 p.m.
Coach Marty Rowe's thoughts:
"Again, it's extremely hard to win on the road against quality teams when we get out rebounded so dramatically and we can't finish at the rim or free throw line. Our effort was great but that part becomes meaningless if we don't finish possessions on either end of the court."
