LIVINGSTON, Ala. - After 10 days off, the University of West Alabama Men's Basketball team is set to return to action on Tuesday for a 5:00 p.m. non-conference matchup against Williams Baptist.

No. 18 West Alabama (10-1, 6-0 GSC) enters Tuesday's play in the midst of their best start in School History. For Williams Baptist (9-2 NAIA), they come to Livingston after a hard fought 98-84 loss to Division I, Little Rock.

There aren't many teams in the country playing better basketball than the Tigers at the moment. UWA has won eight straight games, including six victories in conference play, to move their overall record to 10-1, a mark West Alabama has never reached before in School History. Through 11 games, the Tigers are beating teams by an average of 17.5 points, putting them 14th in the country in that category. West Alabama's defense is stifling, holding opposing teams to 61.4 points per game on 38 percent shooting, making them one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Offensively, UWA is efficient, bringing shooting splits of 48 | 42 | 75 percent into Tuesday's game. The Tigers' offense is balanced as they get contributions from a multitude of players. Caleb Parr and Rasean Frederick are currently tied for the team lead in points as both are averaging 12.5 points per game. Parr can score at all three levels, but excels at shooting the three ball. The Shooting Guard is shooting 45.3 percent from three on 53 attempts while shooting an efficient 55 percent from the floor as well. As for Frederick, he lives in the painted area. The Forward is crafty down low and has some of the best footwork in the league, leading to his 12.5 points per game on 52 percent shooting.  

Elliot Tulip and BJ Brown Jr. are also averaging double figures for the Tigers. Tulip, like Parr, is one of the best shooters in the region, averaging 10.3 points on 47 | 47 | 89 percent shooting splits. Brown Jr. runs the offense for UWA and is one of the top playmakers that the Tigers have had in a while. Along with 10.3 points, Brown Jr. is dishing out 5.8 assists per game which puts him 10th in the country. The Point Guard has recorded five or more assists in eight games thus far and is in line for another big game on Tuesday. 

Williams Baptist is an NAIA school out of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The Eagles are off to a hot start in 2025-26, bringing in a 9-2 record and are coming off a game where they gave Division I Little Rock all they could handle. Williams Baptist is an offensive juggernaut, averaging 90.9 points per game on 47.7 percent shooting. 

Deion Wesson and Jesse Washington are the Eagles' best players as each are averaging over 20 points per game. Wesson, a Sophomore Guard, is averaging a team-high 24.5 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game on 43.2 percent shooting. The Guard is a volume scorer and is destined to have a high usage rate against the Tigers on Tuesday. Wesson has scored over 30 points in five games thus far. Brown Jr. or Parr will more than likely get the start on Wesson as West Alabama looks to contain him.

Washington, on the other hand, is a 6'2" forward that is averaging 23.9 points and 9.5 rebounds on 59.5 percent shooting and 46.3 percent from three. Washington played for Delta State last season and transferred to the Eagles in the offseason. The Senior is undoubtedly having the best season of his career with Williams Baptist. In the Eagles 119-84 win over Moody Bible on November 22, Washington scored a career-high 43 points along with 10 rebounds. The Senior is able to erupt on any given night but he's yet to face a presence such as UWA's Christian Thompson who has proven to be one of the best rim protectors and low-post defenders in the nation this season. 

Tip-off for Tuesday's game is set for 5:00 p.m. from Pruitt Hall.