LIVINGSTON, Ala. –  The University of West Alabama men’s basketball team moved to 2-1 on the season with a 69-54 win over in-state rival Stillman College at Pruitt Hall on the UWA campus on Monday. 

UWA jumped out to a 26-5 lead at the 10:21 mark of the opening half and never looked relinquished the lead the rest of the way.  The Tigers of Stillman (1-2) trimmed the 21-point deficit down to 11 after recording an 18-8 run late in the first half.  The Red and White took a 12-point, 40-38, lead at the halftime break.  UWA continued its hot shooting from the Huntingdon game, turning in a 51 percent shooting effort in the first half against SC.  Defensively, UWA held SC to just 28 percent shooting in the half.  UWA finished the game with a 48 percent shooting mark.

The Tigers opened the margin out to as many as 16 point in the opening minutes of the second half and stymied a plethora of Stillman scoring runs in the final period.  SC got within 10 points with 9:52 left in the affair before UWA surged to a 16-point lead after outscoring the visitors from Tuscaloosa, Ala. 15-9 over the next six minutes.

Jason Swanson, seeing his first action of play in a UWA uniform and junior Jonathan Griffin each turned in 15 points to lead UWA in scoring.  The duo also pulled down seven rebounds apiece.  Junior Herman Mains posted 13 points in the contest.  Sumter County product Tray Williams pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.  As a team, UWA out-rebounded its opponent for the third-straight contest (42-35).

Stillman’s Marquell Jones led all scores with 16 points, 10-of-14 from the free throw line.

The Tigers will travel to Greeneville, Tenn. on Friday, Nov. 28, to take part in the Jameson Inn Classic at Tusculum College.  UWA will square off with the Pioneers of TC at 6 p.m. on Friday and closes out the two-day event against Carson Newman on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m.

Live stats of the tournament will be available at - http://www.tusculum.edu/athletics/basketball_men/livestats/xlive.htm

Free live video will also be available of the UWA-Tusculum match up on Friday.  To view the contest follow the link provided - http://www.audiosportsonline.net/Tusculum/2008Basketball.htm