LIVINGSTON, Ala. – West Alabama men's basketball opened 2016 by setting its season high of field goals and field goal percentage in an 87-68 Gulf South Conference victory over Shorter at Pruitt Hall on Saturday.
West Alabama begins the New Year 7-6 overall and 3-4 in the GSC. Shorter falls to 6-7 and 1-6. UWA sank 31 of its 57 field goal attempts, totaling 54 percent.
Four Tigers tallied double-digit scoring numbers, led by
Dakari Mayo who posted his career best of 18 points, shooing 9-of-10 from the field. Mayo led the defense with seven rebounds and six blocks, matching his season high for the third time.
Deontaye Ewing trailed Mayo with 17 points, hitting 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from the 3-point line.
After holding a 38-35 lead at half time, the Tiger offense found its stride in the second half with
Jake Jobling accounting for all 13 of his points in the period and Vance scoring all but two of his to finish with 14. Vance led the team for the second straight game with eight assists, matching his season high.
"We felt like we would be able to come in here and score with them being last in the league in team defense," said UWA head coach
Allen Sharpe. "We knew the game was going to come down to if we could hold them enough and we did enough. We came together there after the half. We did a great job of stopping the league's leading scorer Phil Taylor and capitalized on that."
"It's good for us to score some," said Sharpe. "We've struggled at times this season putting up points, so maybe this will give us some confidence scoring the basketball. But at the end of the day it will come down to how we defend and we did that tonight."
UWA's defense limited Shorter's leading scorer, Phil Taylor, to eight total points. He had entered the game averaging 26 points per game. Instead it was Trevor McDade who led the Hawks offense with 19 points, followed by Amonte Potter with 12 and Alijah Bennett with 10.
West Alabama men's hoops will return action on Monday when it takes on Lee University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Pruitt Hall.
