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VALDOSTA, Ga. - Mario Stramaglia scored a career-high 23 points to lead West Florida in the season opening 72-69 loss to Benedict, but the game will be remembered more for the UWF comeback and the missed shot at the buzzer that almost opened the Jeff Burkhamer era with a storybook finish at The Complex on the Valdosta State campus.

Instead, UWF (0-1) will regroup after shooting 46 percent and outscoring the Tigers 40-28 in the second half. The Argonauts committed 15 turnovers Benedict (1-0) converted into 24 points.

In addition to Stramaglia, junior transfers Austin Somerfield and Jelani Pruitt scored 10 points for UWF. The Argos shot 8-for-18 from 3-point range and 13-for-16 at the free throw line.

Jordan Smith led five Benedict players in double figures with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from outside.

After UWF opened with a 3-0 lead, Benedict jumped out to a 20-11 lead, due in part to making six of its first seven shots from 3-point range. The Tigers extended their advantage to 42-22 with 1:56 left in the half. BC was 9-of-14 on 3-points in the period.

UWF worked the deficit down from 15 at the break to 62-52 with 10:50 remaining. The Argos got it into single digits a minute later and down to six, at 64-58, on a Justin Williams layup with 8:23 to play. Benedict went up 70-62 with 2:01 on the clock before UWF reeled off seven-consecutive to make it a 1-point game with 10 tics left. A Williams 3-pointer on an out of bounds play was his second of the half as he finished with eight points.

Benedict's Reynard Brennan made both ends of a 1-and-1 to set up the final play, which saw Rashaan Benson wide open in the corner for the tying attempt but the shot would not fall, caroming off the rim to the opposite side of the floor as time expired.

UWF will return to action on Saturday when it face Fort Valley State in Fort Valley, Ga. at 4 p.m. Eastern time.