Lee University reached the NAIA Division I women's basketball semifinals for the first time by defeating a No. 1 seed, Vanguard of California, 65-60 on Saturday in Jackson, Tenn.
The Lee men couldn't duplicate the Lady Flames' achievement, however. In Kansas City, Mo., the Flames made a furious comeback but fell 75-70 to Azusa Pacific, the California school that will meet Lee in the women's final four Monday at 9 p.m. EDT.
Fifth-year senior point guard Allison Rader from Cleveland High School scored 25 points, 20 in the second half, in Saturday's win for the Lady Flames (31-5), while Katie Nelson and Brooke McKinnon scored 15 points each. Kayla Carlisle blocked four shots, and Kayce Addison grabbed 12 rebounds.
Rader hit 10 of 10 free throws and three of six 3-point tries for Lee, which lost in the quarterfinals last year, and she made key foul shots and a driving three-point play late in the game. Coach Marty Rowe will be going to the semifinals for the second time, the first time when he was at Brescia.
"This is really a testimony of our will to win," he said. "It was the team's will that helped us to advance. Rader was something. She was lights-out at the end, but we really played well as a team."
The only two teams that have beat Lee's Flames in their last 17 games, Southern Polytechnic and Azusa, will be meeting in a semifinal Monday in Kansas City. Southern Poly beat John Brown from Arkansas 71-66 before Azusa (27-9) earned its fifth final-four appearance.
Josh Nofflet and Jerel Blocker scored 15 points each for Lee's Flames (28-8) and Stephen McClellan added 10, all in the second half. Larriques Cunningham recorded 10 rebounds and Tyler Cutter had seven assists in defeat.
Lee trailed 69-45 with under 10 minutes remaining but got within 73-70 on a Blocker score with 23 seconds left. David Stafford and Reggie Owens made crucial free throws for the Cougars. Owens led them with 16 points.
Lee missed its first seven 3-point tries but made five of its last nine.