LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men's basketball team snapped a three-game, losing streak on Thursday evening with a commanding 65-54 victory over Gulf South Conference foe West Florida. The win is the first in conference play for the Tigers – who improve to 6-9 on the season and 1-1 in GSC play - since Feb. 20 of last season. UWF falls to 7-10 overall and 0-3 in the conference.

A trio of Tigers tallied double figures in the win – led by 19 points from Richard Dixon and Alquan Mendenhall. Korielle Beavers rounded out the double digit scoring by turning in 10 points. Dixon pulled down a team-best seven rebounds to go along with his season-high point total.

UWA led by as many as 22 points in the outing after opening the second half on an 8-4 run. After the Argos scored the first two buckets of the half, the Tigers rattled off the next eight points – extending their margin to the largest of the game – behind a Beavers' jumper and back-to-back treys from Mendenhall and Dixon.

The 3-pointers were two of the Tigers' nine on the evening. The Red and White finished the night shooting 45 percent from behind the arc and compiled a 44 shooting percentage from the field. UWA also connected on 71 percent of its shots from the free throw line – the second highest total of season for the Tigers.

UWF chipped away at the deficit and with 6:51 remaining in the contest pulled within single digits at 55-47. It marked the first time since the 10:30 mark of the first half the lead was under 10 or more points. Tiger newcomer Paul Mitchell scored three of the Red and White's next five points – helping extend the lead to 13 points. The Argos hit two shots from the charity stripe to pull within 11 points but UWA connected on five consecutive shots from the free throw line to ice the contest.

The Tigers opened the outing on a 16-6 run and extended its advantage to 20 points on a 3-pointer from Mendenhall at the 5-minute mark. The Argos connected on two straight baskets cutting the lead to 16 points, but Dixon would score eight of the Tigers' final 10 points of the half to send UWA into the locker room up 47-29.

Marquis Mathis led UWF with 14 points on the night while Darryl McGhee posted a team-leading seven rebounds to join his 11 points in the losing effort. Mike Lewis concluded the double digit producers for the Argos with 13 points.

West Alabama travels to Huntsville, Ala. for its first conference, road contest of the campaign on Saturday, Jan. 22. Tip-off against UAH is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be aired on ESPN 104.9 FM and www.uwaathletics.com.

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