Hester Leads Rams Past Lee In SSAC Play

MOBILE, Ala-- The University of Mobile used a dominant performance from Antonio Hester to cruise past Lee University 70-52 in Southern States Athletic Conference action Friday.

Mobile (3-3, 1-2) will host 12th-ranked Shorter Saturday at 5 pm.

Hester finished the game with 31 points and 16 rebounds, including 9 offensive boards, while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and hitting 11-of-12 free throws. Christian Salinas was the only other Ram in double figures with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

Alex Wells led Lee with 15 points, while Tyrone Caldwell added 13 and 7 assists.

Mobile shot 40% from the floor, 26% from 3-point range and hit 20-of-29 from the charity stripe, while Lee shot 37% overall, 16% from downtown and hit 11-of-19 from the free throw line. Lee turned the ball over 18 times, while Mobile had only 11 turnovers.

Lee was rolling in the early part of the opening half, taking a 15-9 lead on a 3-point play from Ryan Westbrooks with 13:12 remaining. Mobile answered with a 9-3 run to tie it up, and after the teams traded buckets for a while, Mobile was up 25-24 with 5:14 remaining. The Rams then closed the half on a 12-1 run to take a 37-25 lead into the break, as Lee missed all five shots down the stretch.

In the second half, Mobile kept a comfortable lead, as the closest Lee got was within eight. Mobile led by as many as 20 in the half.