* This is the 32nd season of West Florida Basketball. UWF has an all-time record of 434-418 (.510) in 851 games. UWF is 122-195 (.385) in 21 seasons of Gulf South Conference play. The Argonauts have made nine conference tournament appearances.
* Despite a 3-16 record, UWF has suffered seven losses by five points or less, including last possession setbacks to Benedict, Fort Valley State, Lee, West Georgia and Saturday to Shorter in 2ot.
YEAR ONE OF THE JEFF BURKHAMER ERA
* The Argos are in the first season under Jeff Burkhamer , who was announced as the fourth head coach in program history on April 15, 2015. The 31-year coaching veteran entered the year with a 218-153 (.588) record in 13 seasons as the head coach at Lander and Armstrong State. He also has a record of 155-41 in six seasons as a junior college head coach at North Greenville College and Santa Fe Community College. The Ohio native has Division I experience as an assistant at Winthrop (1984-85), Charleston Southern (1985-87) and Morehead State (1987-89), and was on the coaching staff for the Grand Rapids Hoops (1991-94) in the CBA.
REBUILDING PROCESS ENDURING SOME GROWING PAINS
* As is the case with many new coaching changes, dramatic results may take some time to take affect and that appears to be the case this season at UWF.
* While head coach Jeff Burkhamer has praised his team's ability to keep fighting and battling game-in and game-out, the squad has dropped seven games overall by five points or less and three overtime decisions.
* UWF has experienced some struggles at the free throw line at times in those setbacks, missing eight in a 1-point OT loss to Fort Valley State, 11 in a 9-point home loss to UAH, seven in a 2-point OT defeat at Lee, three in a 3-point home loss to Miss. College and 11 in a 5-point setback to Delta State before the Holiday break.
* The program is 0-9 on the road this season and has dropped its last 18 road games dating back to mid-December of 2014. UWF was very close to earning road wins twice this year, holding second-half leads of seven at Fort Valley State and 15 at Lee before dropping both games in overtime.
ROTATION OF SCORING
* Four of the five starters for UWF currently average above 10 points per game - Austin Somerfield (15.1), Mario Stramaglia (10.8), Jelani Pruitt (10.4) and Rashaan Benson (10.3) have all been solid scoring options for the Argos thus far. The lone player not in double figures is graduate student Lendward Griffin (9.2).
* The Argonauts have only had those five players lead the team in scoring in any game this season. Somerfield eight times, Benson and Pruitt four times, and Griffin and Stramaglia once.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
* Mississippi College comes into the game at 6-12 overall and 5-11 in GSC play and on a 3-game losing skid. The Choctaws are in 10th place in the league but is not eligible for the postseason while in the final year of its reclassification from Division III to II.
* Senior F Tory Rice leads the Choctaws in scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.8 rpg). He would rank first in the GSC in rebounds and third nationally but reclassifying teams are not included in the national rankings. Tristan Moore (13.5), Johnny Rucker (12.4) and Jonathan McGee (12.3) also average at least 10 ppg. Moore leads the squad with 4.1 assists per game, placing him third in the GSC, just ahead of UWF freshman G Rashaan Benson (3.9 apg).
SERIES HISTORY VS MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
* UWF and MC are playing for the ninth time in men's basketball on Saturday, with the series knotted at 4-4. West Florida is 1-3 at MC.
* UWF won the first three games against MC, sweeping the Choctaws in 1968-69 and winning its first meeting in the 1994-95 season. Mississippi College took both decisions against UWF last season before claiming an 84-82 outcome on Dec. 17, 2015.
* LAST MEETING: Both teams shot over 50 percent in the first meeting this season but Mississippi College came away with a 84-82 win in Pensacola. The Choctaws used an 8-2 run midway through the first half for a 23-15 lead that grew to as much as 14 points. UWF trimmed the 11-point deficit with 6:12 remaining to three points twice in the final minute but couldn't get any closer until a 3-pointer at the horn for the final outcome. Six UWF players scored in double figures, led by Rashaan Benson's 16 off the bench. Austin Somerfield and Mario Stramaglia each had 14. MC was paced by Tristan Moore's 20 and Jonathan McGee's 19.
