LIVINGSTON, Ala. – University of West Alabama senior guard,
Justin Wright matched the team's single game season high of 28 points to open 2015 with a 95-67 victory over Auburn University Montgomery at Pruitt Hall Thursday. The performance lifts Wright to second in the Gulf South Conference with 225 total points this season.
West Alabama improves to 8-6 overall before returning to conference play on Saturday against Shorter University in Rome, Ga. Auburn Montgomery drops to 5-8
The Tigers never trailed in the game, taking control with 15-2 point run in the final four minutes of the first half to lead 44-28 at the break. Wright had 17 points in the first half, shooting 4-for-6 from the 3-point line. He finished with 7-for-9.
Lleon Tillman and
Charles Eaton took over in the second half, combining for 22 of UWA's 51 points. Tillman finished with 17, while Eaton came off the bench with 13. The Tiger reserves outscored the AUM bench 45-32.
West Alabama ended with a season high of 13 3-point field goals in 22 attempts.
Terrance Carroll added to the team's 60 percent perimeter shooting, hitting 3-for-4 for 11 total points.
UWA finished 32-of-53 from the field (60 percent) while AUM shot 21-of-53 (39 percent). Jeremy Newton led the Warhawks with 20 points; 16 in the first half.
The Tigers finished with 24 total assists led by
Khalil Carter with a season high 10 assists. AUM combined for nine.
"Making shots solves a lot of problems," said UWA head coach
Allen Sharpe.
"Shooting is contagious too. It really makes me look like a good coach when we can sign guys that can make shots. Defensively, when we put up 95 points, there points will creep up due to possessions, but we did a good job containing Jeremy Newton in the second half; we really made that an emphasis at half time."
West Alabama men's hoops will tipoff against the Shorter Hawks 4 p.m. (C.S.T.) at the Winthrop-King Centre Saturday.
"We feel better about returning to conference play after coming out of the break with a win like this," Sharpe said.
