Despite losing three of its last five games and dropping from fourth to 13th in the national rankings, the Lee University women's basketball team is the NCAA Division II South Regional top seed and host for the first time. The Lady Flames (28-4) will host the eight-team segment of the national tournament Friday, Saturday and Monday in Paul Dana Walker Arena. Lee will play eighth seed Alabama-Huntsville at 5 p.m. Friday, followed by Delta State against Eckerd in the 4-5 game. The event begins with No. 3 seed Tampa against Benedict at noon and No. 2 Union University against Florida Southern at 2:30. Tickets will cost $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and nothing for Lee students and employees and childre 5-under. "We're excited to earn the opportunity to host and be the No. 1 seed this weekend. We feel like our team's body of work over the course of this season warrants us hosting, and we're thrilled that the NCAA feels the same way," Lady Flames coach Marty Rowe said in a school release. "This is our seniors' fourth straight trip to the regionals, and we're excited to get to extend our season at home this time."
* In the Lee men's program's first Division II regional, the Flames (22-7) will be in Lakeland, Florida, but also opening against UAH - Saturday at 7 p.m. It will be fifth-seeded Lee's third meeting with John Shulman's fourth-seeded Chargers (26-5) in four games. Lee won 65-60 on Jan. 11 but lost 81-62 and 72-63 to UAH the last two Saturdays. Also in the South Regional at top seed Florida Southern (29-2), Nova Southeastern, Valdosta State, Palm Beach Atlantic, Embry-Riddle and Miles. "We're excited to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. It represents the body of work our team has done all year," Lee coach Bubba Smith said in a release. "We are happy for our seniors, Parker Suedekum and Ryan Montgomery, to be able to extend their season and continue to set new standards for our program."
* As already had been reported would be the case, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga officially is set for the 2020 Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Mocs (11-18) will learn the opening-round details next Monday. After going 1-13 against a tough nonconference schedule, they were 10-4 in Southern Conference play and shared the regular-season championship. As the No. 2 seed for the SoCon tournament, UTC got the league's WNIT automatic bid when No. 1 seed Samford won the tournament and the NCAA berth. "After such an amazing turnaround, we weren't ready for the season to end," coach Katie Burrows said in a UTC release. "I am excited for another opportunity to compete with this team."
Golf
* The UTC women golfers were tied for sixth out of 15 teams going into today's final round of the UNF Collegiate tournament at Jacksonville. Host North Florida led after Monday's 36 holes with a 589, four shots better than Sam Houston State, and UTC was at 612 (310-302). The Mocs' Dorota Zalewska and Esme Hamilton took turns shooting 72s and were tied for 11th and 21st individually at 150 and 152, and Maddy McDanel was tied for 31st after two 77s. Kirsty Beckwith was at 156.
* The UTC men were tied for 13th with Georgia State at 595 after the second round Monday of Auburn's Tiger Invitational in Opelika, Alabama. Louisiana-Monroe led at 574, three shots ahead of the 15th-ranked tournament hosts. The Mocs' Will Porter shared 12th place individually at 144 after a 74 Monday, when A.J. Lintunen carded a 72 and moved into a tie for 28th at 147. Oliver Simonsen followed at 149.
Lacrosse
* Shayna Ryan had four goals and three assists as Lee's lacrosse team romped 23-3 Monday at Converse (0-6). Jolee Davis and Kaylyn Dillon each scored three goals, Davis with an assist, for the Lady Flames (6-2), who led 15-2 at halftime and outshot their hosts 45-4, and Dariana Blanton and Kelsey McGowen each added two goals and three assists. Giselle Gonzalez had two and two.