LAKELAND, Fla. – The University of West Alabama Men's Basketball team will tipoff the 2014-15 regular season, under Head Coach Allen Sharpe, against Florida Southern College in the Sunshine State/Gulf South Conference Challenge Saturday at 4 p.m.

Sharpe returns the Tigers to the George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Fla., where the 2013-14 season ended in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament.

UWA enters the match after falling to Auburn 94-58 in exhibition. All but three Tigers saw action in the game, with nine players coming off the bench to lead the Auburn reserves 33-23.

UWA will look to build on its storied success a season ago when it earned its first appearance into the NCAA tournament since 1982 with an overall record of 17-11. The Moccasins also enter the season coming off a loss in the first round of the postseason tournament with a 26-5 record a year ago.    

Fellow GSC member No. 13 Delta State kick-starts the round robin tournament against Eckerd at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Challenge continues Sunday with the Tigers taking on Eckerd College at 2 p.m. and closes with FSC and DSU at 4 p.m.

Saturday's matchup is the first of six straight road tests for West Alabama, which includes the GCI Alaska Invitational in Fairbanks, Alaska Nov. 20-22 and a trip to Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn. on Nov. 29.

The Tigers open the home season Dec. 1 against Miles College in Pruitt Hall at 7:30 p.m.