LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men’s basketball team will close out the pre-holiday schedule on Saturday, Dec. 20, traveling to Birmingham, Ala. to face Southeastern Bible College.  Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Samford University’s Seibert Hall.

The Tigers (4-6) will look to get back on track after falling to Clark Atlanta, 61-55, on Wednesday night at Pruitt Hall.  UWA could not maintain a 13-point halftime lead, as the Panthers opened the second period with a 20-0 run to erase the deficit.  The Tigers were led by junior Jason Swanson’s 15 point effort and junior Jonathan Griffin’s double-double, 13 points, ten rebounds. 

Saturday’s tilt with the Sabers of SEBC will be the first of two match ups between the two schools on the hardwood.  SEBC will visit Pruitt Hall on Feb. 4.  The Red and White topped the Sabers last season 90-36 on the UWA campus.  SEBC enters the contest with a 4-8 mark after dropping a 90-79 affair to Birmingham Southern last Saturday.  John Maul led the Sabers with 25 points in the setback.

UWA’s Griffin, a native of Marrero, La., leads the squad in points scored and averages 12.3 points per contest.  Griffin has turned in six double figure scoring outings this season, including back-to-back double doubles.  Swanson is tops on the team in scoring average with a 13.8 mark.  As a team, UWA is out-rebounding the opposition by a +5.3 margin and has won the rebounding edge in eight of the ten games this season.

Following the SEBC affair, the Tigers will break for the holiday before taking on NCAA Division I foe Alabama State on Monday, Dec. 29.  Tip off against the Hornets is set for 7 p.m.