LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Senior guard Alquan Mendenhall scored 24, while teammate Kyle Belcher added eight in a team-high 36 minutes played Thursday evening as the University of West Alabama men's basketball team upset No. 10 Christian Brothers, 69-64, at Pruitt Hall.
 
After leading by as many as 15 in the first half, UWA staved off a late Buccaneer run as they got within one of the Tigers with the score at 65-64 with just 29 seconds on the clock. West Alabama then connected on four free-throws down the stretch to put the final total at 69-64.
 
The deciding minute was setup by a strong performance by the Tigers throughout the 40 minutes played Thursday evening. UWA built up a sizable 15-point advantage in the first half, leading 27-12 with 9:26 remaining in the opening period.
 
Christian Brothers then answered the Tigers' call, holding UWA to just 10 points in the final nine minutes before the half. That defensive effort by the Bucs allowed CBU to once again inch closer with the halftime score at 37-32 in favor of West Alabama.
 
After a quick three-point basket by CBU's Michael Drake right after intermission, UWA's once sizable lead was cut to two. As they did all night long, Coach Mike Newell's team had the answer, going on a 16-7 run to once again put the lead in double digits.
 
One of the best teams in the nation, CBU had one more run left, setting up the exciting final 60 seconds that saw UWA eventually pull away in the five-point win.
 
The Tigers defeated CBU after not giving up the lead in the entire 40 minutes of action. A large part of West Alabama's success was Mendenhall's 24 along with Belcher's eight on the evening. Another strong part of the Tiger roster was junior forward Ryan Fitch who had 17 total points.
 
With the win, West Alabama moves to 7-16 overall, 4-6 in the GSC while CBU falls to 17-4, 8-2 in the GSC. Next up, UWA hosts Delta State Saturday at Pruitt Hall. Opening tip is slated for 2 p.m.
 
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