CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Valdosta State men's basketball team dropped a 90-80 decision at Lee Saturday afternoon.  With the loss, the Blazers fell to 13-7 overall and 9-5 in Gulf South Conference play, while Lee improved to 12-3 overall and 11-3 in league play.  The loss snapped the Blazers' five-game winning streak.
 
VSU was led by 22 points off the bench from senior Mohamed Fofana as he was 6 of 11 from the field, 1 of 2 from beyond the arc and 9 of 12 from the line leading four players in double figures.  Junior Jay Rucker chipped in 16 points on 7 of 11 from the field and 2 of 4 from the line, while sophomore Caden Boser added 13 points with three triples and senior Jacolbey Owens added 11 points.  Both Owens and Boser led the way with seven rebounds each.
 
Free throws were a major difference in the game as VSU was 14 of 24 from the stripe, while Lee was 24 of 26, including 22 of 24 for the Flames from the line in the second half.  VSU shot 30 of 66 from the field for 45.5 percent, while it was 6 of 24 from beyond the arc. 
 
Lee was led by 24 points and 14 rebounds from PJay Smith on 5 of 17 from the field, 2 of 6 from beyond the arc and 12 of 12 from the line with a game-high 14 rebounds leading four players in double figures.  The Flames shot 29 of 61 from the field for 47.5 percent, while they were 8 of 21 from distance.  Lee held a 42-33 lead in rebounding.  The game saw four ties and five lead changes.
 
Early in the first half, Lee used a 7-0 run for a 13-7 lead with 14:30 to play in the half and then extended the lead to 21-12 with a jumper from Michael McGuirk with 11:17 to play.  The Blazers kept chipping away and pulled within 30-29 later in the half on triple from Boser with 4:23 to play.  Two free throws from Fofana gave VSU its first lead of the game since early in the half at 32-30 with 3:23 remaining.  McGuirk had the final bucket of the half for a 38-36 lead for Lee at the break.
 
The Flames stretched the lead to ten at 54-44 with 14:03 to play on a layup from Tariq Daughton.  VSU quickly answered with a 6-0 run highlighted from a triple from Fofana for a 54-50 deficit moments later.  VSU then would cut the deficit to two at 60-58 with eight minutes to go on a layup from senior Maurice Gordon, but a triple from Jayce Willingham at the other end put Lee back up five. 
 
Once again, Lee extended the lead to 12 at 74-62, but the Blazers kept fighting and Boser drained another triple for a 78-72 deficit and 1:27 to play.  The Blazers had to foul to try and extend the game as Lee was up to the task making its free throws for the 90-80 victory.
 
VSU returns home to host Mississippi College on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. at The Complex and then on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. against Delta State for Hall of Fame Weekend.