Staff Reports
Freddie Williams and Elmar Kuli-Zade scored 20 and 19 points as Lee University defeated University of the Cumberlands 84-72 in the NAIA Division I men’s basketball tournament Friday night at Kansas City, Mo.
Paco Diaw added 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Flames, who were ranked No. 2 going into the event and are now 33-1. They play another 9 EDT game tonight in the quarterfinals against Oklahoma City (28-7), which downed California Baptist 69-63.
Friday in the NAIA women’s nationals in Jackson, Tenn., however, the No. 2-ranked Lee women were upset 76-60 by Lubbock Christian.
The Lady Flames were the third No. 1 seed to be knocked out of Oman Arena, leaving only undefeated, top-ranked Union University, which is located in Jackson.
Carolyn Manning had a tournament-high 33 points and nine rebounds for Lubbock Christian (25-9). She made 10 of 13 shots from the field and 13 of 14 free throws as the Lady Chaps ended Lee’s 27-game winning streak. Jordan Hampton contributed 14 points, six assists and six rebounds.
Katie Nelson was 6-of-9 from the field in leading the Lady Flames (32-3) with 14 points, and Jan Dodson had 13 points and three assists. All-American Jessica Still added 11 points but was only 4-of-14 from the field, 3-of-12 from 3-point range. Lee shot 37.3 percent compared to 53.2 percent for the Texas team.
Brad Harris, the Flames’ leading scorer for the season, had 11 points in their win, and Harold Griffin matched Diaw’s nine rebounds.
The Flames scored the first 11 points of the game but trailed by seven at halftime. Then they shot 52 percent in the second half, when they caught the Patriots (20-14) early, fell behind a little and then surged to a 73-64 advantage as Harris made two 3-pointers and big Diaw hit one with 4:05 to go. He was 2-for-2 from beyond the arc; Harris was 3-of-6.
“They have a lot of weapons, especially Brad Harris,” Cumberlands coach Don Butcher said. “He is a tough guy to cover, and he knocks down all those 3s.”
“The 3-point shots by Harris were called shots,” Lee coach Tommy Brown. “Those are the kind of shots a big-time player is supposed to make.”
Diaw’s, Brown admitted, “was one of those where you are like, ‘No, no.’ Then it goes in and it’s OK. But Paco did have an open look.”
No. 1-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) College edged Trevecca Nazarene 85-83 and takes a 34-0 record into the 7 p.m. EDT quarterfinal against Robert Morris (28-3).
Or login with:
New Account