CLEVELAND, Tenn - The Tuskegee men's basketball team dropped its season opener in the GSC/SIAC Challenge to Lee University Saturday evening 81-45 in Cleveland Tennessee.

Lee opened up a 19-5 advantage in the first nine minutes of the game and Tuskegee was never able to recover in its first ever meeting between the two schools. TU was held to 27 percent shooting from the field and was nearly doubled in the rebounding category as the Flames out-rebounded the Golden Tigers 43-26 and was also outscored in the paint 38-18. 

The Golden Tigers were paced by Travis Flagg with 11 points while Greg Boyd added 10.  TU's leading scorer James Eads was held to only five points on 1-of-7 shooting.  

Freshman Jason Landman led the Flames with 12 points and five rebounds while sophomore Ryan Montgomery chipped in 10.

Freshman Leander Ridgeway Jr. scored his first collegiate points and finished with nine total. Sophomore transfer Colton Blevins, senior Chase Cullen, sophomore Parker Suedekum and freshman Keaton Dotson all had eight points.

Lee shot a sizzling 56.6 percent from the field and were 10 of 20 from beyond the arc. 

Tuskegee returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. against the University of West Georgia.