LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Looking for a fresh start in the 2012 season, the University of West Alabama men's basketball team (8-19, 5-9 GSC) gets that opportunity this week as head coach Mike Newell's squad makes its way to the Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. Competition is set to begin Friday afternoon with UWA taking on West Georgia at 2:45 p.m.  
 
Fans can tune into ESPN 104.9 throughout the weekend for each West Alabama game. Additionally, fans can follow live stats at www.uwaathletics.com. UWA athletics will also be sending out Twitter updates through @UWAAthletics.
 
This year's tournament will be played at The Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College with each team from the conference set to compete. The quarterfinal round features four games followed by semifinal action on Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 1:30 p.m.  
 
As this year's No. 6 seed, West Alabama makes its 11^th appearance in the GSC Tourney with a 6-10 overall record at the annual event. UWA's last appearance came in the 2008-09 season when the Tigers fell to Harding, 82-56. The program's lone championship came in 1982.
 
For the season, UWA has had to face one of the toughest schedules in the nation, playing the likes of Bucknell, Morehead State, Oregon State and Princeton. The Tigers also had to go against five teams ranked in the weekly polls.
 
West Alabama started the season with a 1-8 overall record before point guard Steven Samuels and shooting guard Alquan Mendenhall were inserted into the lineup. Samuels leads the team in scoring for the year with a 14.1 points per game average, while Mendenhall is second on the squad with 12.1 points per contest.
 
In the paint, sophomore center Kyle Belcher has proven to be a force for the Tigers late in the season. Belcher scored a career high 16 points to go along with a career-best nine rebounds against West Florida on Feb. 19, while playing a pivotal role in helping UWA to a triumph over No. 10 Christian Brothers earlier in the year.
 
West Alabama's opponent in the first round of the tournament will be West Georgia – a team the Tigers have lost to twice this season. UWA fell to the Wolves, 65-47, at Pruitt Hall before falling, 75-52, in Carrollton, Ga., to wrap up the 2012 regular season.

Fans can also follow the Tigers all season long on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UWAathletics) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/UWAAthletics). Additionally, fans may also sign up to receive SMS text alerts at www.uwaathletics.com.