The Lee University basketball teams used strong second halves to post impressive season-opening homecoming wins Saturday in Cleveland.
The Lady Flames rallied from a 12-2 deficit to lead by nine at halftime and then surged to a 63-36 victory over a strong Tennessee Wesleyan team, and the Flames trailed by five at the break before flooring Tennessee Temple 63-54 behind 20 points from senior Austin Peay transfer Tyrone Caldwell and 18 from senior Montevallo transfer Ryan Westbrooks.
Josh Henley and Johnny Godette had 10 rebounds each for Lee, and McCallie graduate Chad Lee scored 11 points in his first college game. Reserves Corey Sanders and Josh Morris led Temple with 13 and 12 points.
Hollie German made four of seven 3-point shots and 11 of 11 free throws in scoring 29 points for the Lady Flames, who got 11 from Angela Spann, six blocked shots from Karley Miller and four steals from Brooke Hamby. Cody Houck led Wesleyan with nine points; Leah Frazier made four steals.
The Chattanooga State women also pulled away in the second half of their opener, an 82-49 win over East Georgia. Hiydaayah Williams scored 19 points and April Woodard and Khamiyah Crawford added 14 and 12 for the Lady Tigers.
The Bryan College Lady Lions rose to 3-0 with a 60-52 win at Toccoa Falls, and the Bryan men got their first win in three games, 78-71 at Truett-McConnell. Lavonte Henderson scored 24 points, Carrin Nash had 18 points and eight rebounds and Rob Riley added 15 points for the Lions, who got 11 assists with eight points from freshman point guard Dion Fair.
Anna Thomas scored 14 points and Mercedes Owens and Sarah Newton added 11 and 10 for the Lady Lions.
The Tennessee Temple women fell to 0-3 with an 86-54 loss at the NAIA's 14th-ranked Lindsey Wilson, which got 21 points and nine rebounds from Jasmine Brimm and 18 points, 10 assists and five steals from Monny Niamke. Briana Reeves scored 16 points and LaQuinta Gallishaw and Jessica Salera added 10 apiece for Temple.
Snead State ruined the Georgia Northwestern Lady Bobcats' season opener in Rome by winning 81-59. Jasmine Heath scored 24 points in defeat; Joy Hoskins added 12.