The Lee University Flames basketball team finished their season on March 23 with a loss to Oklahoma City University in the Elite 8 of the NAIA National Tournament. The loss to the two-time defending national champion ended one of the most successful seasons in Lee history. The Flames 33-2 final record was good for the SSAC regular season and tournament championships and gave Lee a number two national rating. The season also included defeats of Division I East Carolina University and NAIA powerhouse, and eventual National Tournament runner-up, Mountain State University.

Prior to the Flames Conference Tournament championship, head coach Tommy Brown was awarded the Southern States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award. Coach Brown just finished his third season at Lee. In 2006, Brown’s first season at Lee, he received the same award after leading the Flames to a 24-10 record and conference regular season and tournament championships.

Lee basketball is no stranger to coaching honors, however. Since the 80’s, several Flames coaches have received various awards. Former coaches Rick Hughes, Randy Steele and current Athletic Director Larry Carpenter all received coaching honors from either the NAIA or NCCAA. Current women’s basketball coach Marty Rowe won his third consecutive SSAC Coach of the Year award this season and was also named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 2006.

The biggest honor for Coach Brown came this past week when he was awarded the Victory Sports NAIA Division I Coach of the Year. National honors were also added to Brad Harris’ list of accomplishments. The Flames’ guard was earlier awarded SSAC Player of the Year but was recently also named First-Team All-American by the NAIA, only the second player at Lee ever to receive the honor.

Harris graduates this year but the Flames should return a host of players from this season and, under Brown’s leadership, look to defend their conference crown and return to the NAIA National Tournament in 2009.