|
PENSACOLA, Fla.
– The University of West Alabama men’s basketball team
could not overcome a 20-2 run by West Florida to open
the final half, as the Argos topped UWA, 71-67, on
Sunday at the UWF Fieldhouse.
The Tigers (8-11,
1-4 GSC), who finished the first half with a 37-24 lead
at the intermission, did not get their first basket of
the second half until the 15:37 mark on the clock after
UWF (10-8, 2-3 GSC) trimmed the lead down to six
points. The Argos took their first lead since the 6:09
mark of the opening period on a lay up by Charles Bouie
with 13:52 to play. That one-point advantage would be
extended to as many as six points at 48-42 in favor of
UWF. The Tigers clawed their way back even after
Terence Benson’s
three-pointer and free throw and knotted the game at
48-48 on a Jason Swanson bucket with 9:53 to play. UWA
relied heavily on the sharp-shooting of Benson in the
second half. The transfer from Columbus State
University, who joined the team at the semester break,
finished with 15 second half-points. The Clanton, Ala.-native
drained 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc in the
contest. Benson gave UWA its last lead of the contest
at 61-60 with 3:04 left in the contest on a pair of free
throws. UWF regained the edge on a jumper from Chris
Brown and pushed the lead out to as many as six points
in the final minutes on a pair of Brown free throws.
UWF out-scored the Tigers 47-30 in the final 20 minutes.
Swanson posted his
sixth double-double of the season with a team-best 16
points and 12 rebounds. The Troy, Ala.-product
has secured double digit points in 11 consecutive games,
dating back to the Miles contest on Dec. 13. He also
was credited with a pair of blocks. Junior Brandon
Hampton added 11 points off the bench.
In the opening
half, UWA had balanced scoring en route to its 13-point
halftime lead. Junior Chris Davis keyed the Tigers
scoring run to close out the first half, knocking down a
pair of treys. Davis finished with eight points in the
setback. The Red and White defense held UWF to just
10-of-28 shooting in the first half, but the Argos found
the touch in the final frame, connecting on 16-of-28 (57
percent) from the field. UWA managed only nine made
baskets in the second half and was out-rebounded for the
contest, 41-37.
UWF’s Bouie and
Ryan Henry claimed top-scoring honors with 18 points
each.
The Tigers return to Pruitt Hall on
Thursday, Jan. 29, against in-state rival Montevallo.
The Falcons knocked off Valdosta State, 79-63, on
Sunday. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.
|
