SATURDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SUNDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
PENSACOLA, Fla. – UWF men's basketball (5-0) will travel to the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic in Valdosta, Ga. this weekend. The Argos will take on Webber International University at 1:00 p.m. Central Time on Saturday and then battle Fayetteville State at 1:00 p.m. Central Time on Sunday.
The Argos defeated Spring Hill College (2-2) 71-57 in the Arthur R. Outlaw Center Wednesday night. Rashaan Benson and Darryl Tucker each scored 18 points, and the Argos led for more than 38 minutes in the game, building a lead as large as 25.
This is the second straight season that the Argos have begun 5-0. West Florida is currently outscoring opponents by more than 13 points per game. The team returns home Dec. 2 to open GSC play vs. Valdosta State at 4:00 p.m.
WIN AT SPRING HILL
* The Argos notched their fifth straight win by downing Spring Hill in Mobile 71-57 Wednesday in Mobile. UWF came out of the gate red hot, igniting an early 19-0 run after Spring Hill scored the first basket of the game to construct a double-digit lead before the game hit the four-minute mark. Latrell Tidwell starred for the team early, posting six of the Argos' first twelve points.
* The win was the 250th of head coach Jeff Burkhamer's career as a four-year college coach.
* West Florida shot 29-of-56 from the field in the game. The 51.8% mark from the field was just 0.1% off the team's season-high, set in the first contest of the year vs. Albany State. UWF maintained the lead for over 38 minutes and built a lead as large as 67-42 with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
* The Argos notched a season-high ten total steals in the game and forced 18 turnovers. The West Florida bench outscored Spring Hill reserves 26-19. The Argos outscored the Badgers 40-20 in the paint.
* Benson matched his season-high with 18 points (6-10 FG, 3-4 3-PT FG). He also dished out four assists and finished with two steals. Tucker also matched his season-high with 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-4 FT). Tidwell notched a season-high seven points (3-5 FG) and led the team in rebounding with a season-high eight, including three on the offensive glass. Moter Deng finished 5-of-9 from the field for 10 points. Thorpe posted six points (2-6 FG) and a season-high six steals. He now has ten steals over the last two games.
* "We got off to a great start," said UWF head coach Jeff Burkhamer. "Our defense helped us to create some offense. I think our press helped us out early. It was a hard-fought game. They're always tough to play against."
SCOUTING WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
* The Warriors are 3-2 overall and 1-1 in The Sun Conference. Webber, an NAIA program based in Babson Park, Fla., opened its season with an 87-69 win over Edward Waters on Nov. 1 and followed that with a 102-79 victory over the University of the Virgin Islands on Nov. 7. The team lost to Edward Waters (76-68) and Southeastern University (98-67) before defeating Ave Maria University (88-58) on Nov. 18.
* The team has played exhibitions so far this year vs. Stetson and Jacksonville. Both its games at the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic will count as exhibitions.
* Webber is coached by Allen Corbin, who was hired as the head men's basketball coach at Webber in June of 2017. This is his first year as head of the Webber International men's basketball program.
* The Warriors went 8-20 overall in 2016-17 and 3-13 in conference play. This year's team features eleven newcomers in addition to the new coaching staff. The Ledger of Lakeland, Fla. listed the team's key returners as center Jonathan Childs, forward McDonald Jean-Louis, guard Sheldon Durant, and guard Joseph Serrano. All are seniors.
* The Ledger listed the team's key newcomers as senior guard Osandai Vaughn, junior guard Nikita Orap, senior center Obi Romeo, and junior forward Andre Brooks.
* The Warriors are outscoring opponents 86-76 on average so far this season. The team is being led in scoring by Jonathan Childs, who is averaging 14.25 PPG. He is one of three players on the team averaging double figures so far this year.
* Webber is outrebounding opponents 41.8-36.0 per game this season. Childs is also the team's top rebounder at 8.0 per game. Vaughn is second on the team with 7.8 rebounds per game.
* This is the first time in program history that the Argos will battle Webber International.
SCOUTING FAYETTEVILLE STATE
* Fayetteville State is 1-2 on the season, dropping contests to Winston-Salem (82-75) and Clarion (81-76) before scoring its first win (65-55) vs. Wingate Nov. 18. The team is 0-2 so far this season on neutral floors.
* FSU is coached by Ken Spencer, who is in his second year as the head coach of the men's program. He went 13-16 overall in his first year and 7-10 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
* Josh Bryant currently leads the team with 23.3 points per game. Willie Gilmore is second on the team in scoring with 16.3 PPG.
* FSU is being outscored by opponents 72.7 to 72.0 per game this season. The Broncos and their opponents are each averaging 35.3 rebounds per game this year.
* This will be the first time since 2007 that the Argos have played Fayetteville State. The teams met Dec. 30, 2007. Fayetteville State won 76-71 at Fayetteville State.
BENSON GETTING BUCKETS
* Junior Rashaan Benson has scored at least 15 points in three of UWF's last four games. Benson matched his season-high with 18 points (6-10 FG, 3-4 3-PT FG) at Spring Hill. He also dished out four assists and finished with two steals.
* Burkhamer on Benson's performance at Spring Hill: "This was his best game of the year. He was really aggressive and active early… I just thought he played a terrific game tonight."
* Benson also dropped 18 points in an overtime victory vs. Fort Valley State on Nov. 12.
GSC/NCAA LEADERS
* DJ Thorpe is first in the GSC with 3.2 steals per game. As of Nov. 24, he is tied for 11th in NCAA DII men's basketball in the category.
* Tucker currently leads the GSC with 11.8 rebounds per game, three more per contest than KJ James (Valdosta State), who currently ranks second with 8.0 RPG. Tucker is tied for second in the GSC with 1.8 blocks per game. As of Nov. 24, Tucker ranked tied for 9th in rebounds per game.
* Rashaan Benson currently ranks third in the GSC with 5.4 assists per game and is tied for eighth with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.1. As of Nov. 24, he ranked 49th in NCAA DII men's basketball in assists per game.
* Moter Deng is 14 of 15 from the line so far this year. His 93.3% efficiency from the stripe ranks him tied for first in the GSC.
* West Florida has surrendered 63.4 PPG so far this year, the third-best mark in the conference. The 12.8-point average margin of victory is the fourth-best mark in the GSC.
* UWF is currently fifth in the GSC with 38.4 rebounds per game. The Argos have the second-best turnover margin in the GSC, currently at +3.80 per game.
* The Argos have held opponents to a 40.3% shooting mark from the field, the third-lowest percentage in the conference.
ABOUT UWF
* Third-year head coach Jeff Burkhamer has gone 32-28 at UWF, which includes last year's record-setting 20-9 campaign. He is 250-181 as a 4-year college coach and 405-222 all-time in 22 seasons as a head coach. His 30-plus years' coaching experience includes his NCAA, Junior College and Continental Basketball Association career.
* UWF returns seven letterwinners and four starters from a year ago, when the team set the school-record for wins in a season with 20 and shattered the record for conference victories, going 14-8 in the Gulf South Conference.
* Last year, the Argos finished in the GSC top five in a number of categories, including scoring offense (78.9 PPG, 3rd GSC), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.15, 3rd GSC), offensive rebounds (13.3 per game, 2nd GSC, 26th NCAA Div. II) and free throw attempts (724, 2nd GSC, 38th NCAA Div. II).
* UWF is currently on an 11-game home winning streak dating back to a Jan. 2, 2017 victory over North Alabama. The Argos are on a 13-game win streak vs. non-conference opponents and are 13-2 in three years vs. non-conference opponents under Burkhamer.
GSC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
* UWF received one first-place vote and was picked to finish fifth in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll that was released in mid-October. The Argos received 130 total points and one first-place vote in the poll, finishing ahead of Montevallo, North Alabama, West Georgia, Union, Lee, West Alabama, Mississippi College, Shorter and Auburn Montgomery and just one point behind fourth place Delta State.
* Christian Brothers was picked to finish first in the GSC, garnering 158 total points and eight first-place votes. Valdosta State finished second, picking up 144 total points and four first place votes. Alabama Huntsville checked in at third with 139 total votes and one first place vote. Delta State finished fourth but did not receive any first place votes.
* Owens Community College transfer Shondell Jackson and Kankakee Community College transfer Latrell Tidwell were selected as UWF's top newcomers.
#ARGOS#
