LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Senior Deontaye Ewing and junior Acie Vance combined for 51 points to lead West Alabama to a season high scoring performance and a 100-74 victory over North Alabama in Gulf South Conference Men's Basketball action at Pruitt Hall on Thursday.

West Alabama improves to 11-9 overall and 7-7 in the GSC, recording its first 100 point performance since Dec. 1, 2014. North Alabama drops to 12-8 and 9-5.

"Our offense did their job tonight, especially at the free throw line, but our defense missed their goal of holding them to 72 points, so they will still have to run some sprints tomorrow," said UWA head coach Allen Sharpe.

"We knew coming into the game that North Alabama like to keep the pace of play up, so guys like Acie and Deontaye would have to produce for us offensively. There are some things you just can't coach like making a play out of nothing, and those guys stepped up and did that well tonight."

Vance led the Tigers to a 38-35 lead at halftime, scoring 14 points in 17 minutes. He was 4-of-7 in the field and 5-of-5 at the free throw line. UWA out-rebounded the Lions 21-13 in the first half. Marcel Moorer came off the bench to tally nine first half boards. He led the team with 10 total in the game.  

After three lead changes and the score being tied six times in the first half, West Alabama pulled away in the second half with an 11-0 point run in the first eight minutes. By the final score the Tigers had built their largest lead, 26 points, of the game.

Ewing had 17 points in the second half, giving him a total of 25 and setting his new season high. He finished shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 7-of-9 at the free throw line.

Vance totaled a season high of 26 points, hitting 6-of-19 from the field. He helped the Tigers to a season high of free throws made, sinking all 13 of his attempts. UWA combined for 44-of-52 at the charity stripe, shattering the previous high of 28 made free throws against Stillman College on Nov. 28, and missing the previous school record by one.   

Jake Jobling and Tyler Chaisson each contributed 13 points to the UWA total, while hitting only three field goals combined. Jobling went 11-of-12 free throw shooting, and Chaisson shot 9-of-12. Billy Ingram tallied 11 points hitting four of his six field goal attempts. The Tigers went on to total 26-of-50 from the field (52 percent).

North Alabama went 25-of-28 at the free throw line, but shot only 22-of-54 from the field (40 percent). The Lions lost the rebounding effort 38-19. Dimario Jackson led UNA with 13 points, hitting four of his 10 field goal attempts.

West Alabama men's hoops remain home to take on in-state conference rival Alabama Huntsville on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Pruitt Hall.