Flames drop second consecutive home battle

Freshman forward Tim Vaughn drives to the bucket in the first half against Alabama-Huntsville. Photo via Lee Athletic Communications

The Lee University Flames suffered their second consecutive loss, falling to rival Alabama-Huntsville 61-55.

“Tonight, it came down to a handful of possessions at the end. They made the plays, and we didn’t,” said Coach Bubba Smith after Saturday’s game. 

Jayce Willingham led the way for the Flames with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from inside the arc. Makhi McGuire added 11 and a career-high of nine rebounds. 

Ultimately, Lee’s off-shooting night proved too much to overcome. They shot 12-of-25 from inside the arc (48%) and 8-of-31 beyond it (26%). 

“I thought our fight, how we competed, and our attention-to-detail was so much better than it was Thursday. We had some good looks tonight, and shots didn’t go in. When that happens, it puts so much pressure on every defensive possession — every mistake or offensive rebound feels magnified,” Smith added. 

The Chargers of Huntsville outrebounded Lee 41-28 in the contest, including a 10-3 advantage on the offensive glass, leading to 13 second chance points for UAH. 

“The message to our guys has to be that the results of these two games aren’t defining moments for us. How we handle this week and how we respond will be the defining moment for our team,” Smith said. 

UAH was led by Chaney Johnson with 17 points. Max Shulman added 15 points and 12 rebounds. 

Lee will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Montgomery, Alabama. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.