LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Men's Basketball team shined in the GSC opener as they defeated the Valdosta State Blazers, 100-92 at the Complex on Thursday night.
West Alabama (5-1, 1-0 GSC) turned in another offensive masterclass as they shot 61 percent from the floor and 53 percent from three to secure a big time road victory over Valdosta State (4-2, 0-1 GSC).
"We showed a lot of resiliency," said head coach Nick Woodruff. "There aren't a lot of teams that will come into this building and beat Valdosta State. Players win games and our players turned in great performances tonight."
UWA opened the first half with a strong start, quickly taking an 8-0 lead with Caleb Parr and BJ Brown Jr. hitting early three-pointers. VSU struggled to keep pace initially but closed the gap to 8-4 with MJ Jones scoring a fast-break layup at the 16:48 mark. The Tigers' Christian Thompson was effective in the paint, contributing multiple baskets, including a layup and a dunk, helping his team maintain the lead. Nine minutes into the game, Thompson had already registered eight points and five rebounds. As the half progressed, the Tigers extended their advantage, with Elliot Tulip hitting a three with 5:00 minutes left to bring the score to 41-30. West Alabama maintained control of the game and took a 51-39 lead into the break after Inslee Carroll's three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining.
The Tigers shot 56 percent from the floor and 63 percent from three in the first half while holding the Blazers to 36 percent shooting and 33 percent from beyond the arch.
After an efficient first half, Tulip continued his brilliant performance into the second half as the sophomore buried back-to-back threes to extend West Alabama's lead to 57-41. The Tigers' continued to put pressure on Valdosta State's defense as Rasean Frederick and Caleb Parr converted on baskets, keeping their lead in double-digits. Inslee Carroll was once again a spark off the bench for UWA. After hitting a three in the first half, the junior recorded a three-point play with 9:47 left to play, making it a 73-60 game. The Blazers would periodically get the Tigers' lead down to single digits but West Alabama would instantly respond to keep a healthy distance from Valdosta State. With 10 seconds left, McCray hit a floater that put UWA at 100 points, making it the second consecutive game with 100 or more points for the Tigers.
Seven West Alabama players scored in doubles figures, led by McCray's 17 points and Tulip's 16 points. Frederick recorded 13 points, while Thompson dominated the glass with 10 points and eight rebounds. BJ Brown Jr registered 11 points, four assists, and four steals while Jakobe Singleton accumulated 12 points and Caleb Parr recorded 11.
UWA will now turn their focus to West Florida as they travel to Pensacola for a 4:00 p.m. matchup against the Argonauts.
