The Toronto Raptors' DeMar DeRozan drives toward the basket as Charlotte Hornets shooting guard Courtney Lee (right) defends during the first half of Tuesday's game in Toronto. 

Former Western Kentucky men’s basketball standout Courtney Lee (WKU 2005-08) tallied 11 points for the Charlotte Hornets in Tuesday night’s 96-90 road loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Lee, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard playing in his eighth NBA season, also totaled two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block against the Raptors. A full-time starter for Charlotte since being dealt to the Hornets by the Memphis Grizzlies in a mid-season trade, Lee is averaging 9.6 points and is regarded as the team’s top defender.

The loss dropped the Hornets to 44-33 overall, third in the Southeast Division (1.5 games behind division leader Atlanta) and sixth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings.

Charlotte returns to action Wednesday night with another road game, as the Hornets visit the New York Knicks for a 6:30 p.m. (CT) game at Madison Square Garden.

– Jeff Nations