SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo University Women's basketball team completed their opening weekend sweep by defeating #20/24 ranked opponent, Lee University, 68-63 Saturday afternoon. The Lions gained control of the lead right from tip-off and didn't surrender their lead throughout the whole game at the Bowman Center Saturday afternoon.

Alex Button led the Lions' offense with a team-high 22 points. She went an impressive 4-5 outside the arch helping contribute to Saint Leo's total three-point percentage of 33.3%. Amanda Ulrich was right behind Button contributing the Lions' offensive grind, totaling 20 points of her own.

The Lions shut down the nationally-ranked Flames, holding them to only two second-chance points. Saint Leo took advantage of the boards tallying 14-second chance points of their own with a team total of 35 boards. Jumoke Adaramoye and Kiki McIntrye grabbed a team-high seven boards each.

Saint Leo kicked off the game by jumping out to a quick 12-4 run throughout the first five minutes of play. The Lions kept the offensive pressure on the Flames, hitting 10-19 from the field to average a game-high 52.63%. Lauren McCrea would come off the bench in the final seconds of the first quarter hitting a momentum-boosting three as time expired.

One key factor throughout the first half was the Saint Leo defense holding #20/24 Lee University to shooting 0-4 from beyond the perimeter. Saint Leo would jump out to their best scoring run in the second quarter jumping out to a 10-point run, which in-turn gave the Lions a 12-point lead which was their biggest lead of the night over the nationally ranked Flames.

Lee University would go on some runs of their own in the third and fourth quarters forcing the game that was once out of sight into a one-possession battle heading into the fourth quarter. Haley Schubert led the Flames' offense with a team-high 27 points.

The two teams traded points throughout the entire fourth quarter. The Lions kept forcing the Flames to keep up with them creating opportunities every time the visiting Flames tried to steal momentum. Alayna Harris would draw a foul with three minutes to go and hit what would turn out to be the go-ahead basket for Saint Leo after the Flames tied the score at 63. Alex Button would ice the game by hitting a jumper to extend the Lions' lead to 66-63.

The Lions return to action on Saturday, November 19th against Trinity Baptist College. Tip-off is at 3:30 P.M.



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