SATURDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | NOTES
MONDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LISTEN: CHOICE 106.9 FM/WRNE 980 AM | NOTES
PENSACOLA, Fla. – UWF men's basketball (9-0, 1-0 GSC) will continue conference play this Saturday and Monday vs. West Alabama and Montevallo before the winter break. The No. 13 Argos battle West Alabama (9-2, 3-0 GSC) Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and take on Montevallo (6-5, 1-1 GSC) Monday at 7:30 p.m.
UWF is coming off its ninth straight win to open the 2017-18 season Sunday vs. Spring Hill. The Argos ran away from Spring Hill College (2-6, 0-1 SIAC) in a lopsided 91-59 win. Moter Deng notched a UWF career-high in scoring with 26 points, and Rashaan Benson finished with his first double-double of the year (13 points/11 assists) as the Argos matched the 1997-1998 UWF team for the longest winning streak to begin a season in program history.
"We know this is going to be a tough weekend, a good test for us," said UWF head coach Jeff Burkhamer of West Alabama. "They're a very good team, and I think they'll come in excited about playing us, and I think our guys will be excited about playing them."
Burkhamer also expects a tough test from Montevallo, whom the Argos will battle for the first time since 2013.
"We know Monday will be a good game too," said Burkhamer. "Historically, traditionally Montevallo has been very good. Two tough games this weekend, and hopefully we will have a bunch of people there to watch us play."
Saturday's games will be broadcast exclusively at goargos.com/live, and Monday's games will be available both at goargos.com/live and listen on Choice 106.9 FM/WRNE 980 AM. Monday's games will also feature an "Ugly Sweater Contest" for fans at the UWF Field House. First prize is a yearlong membership to Title Boxing Club.
ARGOS RISE IN NATIONAL POLLS
* The UWF men's basketball program came in at No. 13 in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association Top 25 poll released Tuesday. The Argos (9-0, 1-0 GSC) received 169 total points in the poll, 32 more than last week, as they climbed three spots from No. 16 to No. 13.
* West Florida was one of two GSC teams to appear in this week's D2SIDA Top 25. Christian Brothers (9-0, 2-0 GSC) moved up from No. 8 to No. 6. The No. 13 ranking is the highest UWF men's basketball has ever attained in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association Top 25 poll.
* The Argos also moved up in this week's NABC Division II men's basketball poll from No. 25 to No. 21. The Argos were one of three GSC teams in the NABC Division II Top 25. Christian Brothers was ranked No. 8. Valdosta State (7-1, 0-1 GSC) checked in at No. 19.
RESCHEDULED TIMES VS. WEST ALABAMA
* UWF basketball will take on West Alabama in GSC action Dec. 16. The times of the doubleheader have been rescheduled and will now be played at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The women's team will play at 2:00 and the men's team will play at 4:00.
ARGOS CONTINUE WIN STREAK VS. SPRING HILL
* The 32-point margin of victory over Spring Hill was the largest of the season for UWF. It was also the largest margin of victory in head coach Jeff Burkhamer's three-year career at UWF.
* DJ Thorpe scored 11 points in the second to finish with 15 points (5-7 FG, 4-4 3-PT FG) for the game.
* The Argos shot 18-of-38 (.493) from the field and 13-of-32 (.406) from beyond the arc. The 13 3-pointers and the 32 attempts from beyond the arc were both season-highs. The .406 mark was a season-high for any game in which the team has attempted at least 10 3-pointers.
* The contest was the second straight in which Deng has scored at least 20 points. He previously set a career-high of 22 on Dec. 2 vs. Valdosta State.
* The Argos are now riding a 14-game home winning streak, just five off the all-time longest streak in UWF history. The team has also won 16 straight non-conference games.
* "Moter is playing terrific," said Burkhamer. "He had a great week last week. He comes back and follows it with another terrific performance. He's just been really good offensively catching it in the high post and scoring, driving the ball, rebounding the ball. He's just playing really, really well right now and with a lot of confidence."
BENSON CLIMBS ALL-TIME ASSISTS LIST
* Rashaan Benson continues to climb the all-time Argo assist leader list. The junior point guard began the year ninth on the list and, after 39 assists through eight games this year, he stood fifth with 261 career assists. With a season-high 11 assists in the win over Spring Hill Sunday, he moved into sole possession of fourth place on the list at 272. Benson can next surpass Matt Shemwell, who stands third in Argo history with 278 assists.
FORMER ARGO FORWARD LEGRIER SIGNS WITH BELFAST STAR
* Former UWF men's basketball star Deangelo Legrier has signed with Belfast Star, a professional Super League team based in Belfast, North Ireland. The forward reported to Ireland earlier this month and has immediately made an impact, dropping a team-best 22 points in a 75-65 win over Kubs on December 3.
* A native of Orlando, Fla. and an alum of Edgewater High, Legrier played for the Argos for four years. He played in at least 26 games each of his four years. He finished his career third on the program's all-time rebounding list (581), third in blocks (109), eighth in points (890), and third in field goal percentage (.537). He was an All-GSC Second Team selection in 2016-17, averaging 12.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per contest as UWF went 20-9.
SCOUTING WEST ALABAMA
* The West Alabama Tigers are 9-2 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. They are 5-0 at home, 1-1 on the road and 3-1 on neutral courts. They have scored conference wins over North Alabama (88-77), Alabama Huntsville (82-66), and Mississippi College (86-60). The team has won six straight since a 3-2 start.
* Gavin Robinson was a preseason All-GSC selection in 2017-18 after averaging 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in conference play last season. The Tigers were picked to finish fifth in the preseason GSC coaches' poll. Josh Fleming and Charles Tripp were selected as the team's top newcomers.
* Guard Charles Eaton has been a major star for the team early in the year. As of Dec. 12, he has won three GSC Men's Basketball Player of the Week awards. He is averaging 27.6 points per game on .553 field goal shooting, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
* The Tigers lead the GSC in FT percentage (.781). West Alabama is second in the GSC in points per game (86.5) and margin of victory per game (14.5 PPG). The team is third in the conference in defensive FG percentage, holding opponents to a .403 mark, and is third in the conference in turnover margin (+2.73).
* Eaton leads the NCAA Division II men's basketball with 27.6 points per game. He is sixth in the conference with a .553 field goal percentage. He is also among the league leaders in assists. Sean Cranney is tied for sixth with 4.3 assists per game. He is fourth with a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
* Domonique Alexander leads the Gulf South Conference with 2.6 blocks per game.
* The Argos are 12-12 since 2006 vs. West Alabama and 6-3 at home vs. the Tigers in that same span. West Florida defeated West Alabama last season 72-69 Jan. 12 in Livingston and followed that up with a 79-77 win at home Jan. 26.
SCOUTING MONTEVALLO
* Montevallo is 6-5 on the season and 1-1 in the GSC. The Falcons are 4-2 at home, 1-0 away and 2-3 on neutral floors. The team has lost two of its last three games. The team has a GSC win over Alabama Huntsville (80-56) and a loss vs. North Alabama (100-63).
* Montevallo returns five lettermen from last season's team, which won a sixth straight Peach Belt Conference West Division championship. The Falcons were picked to finish sixth in the preseason GSC coaches' poll.
* Montevallo is second in the GSC in shooting percentage (.487). Jamaar Taylor is third in the GSC with 20.6 points per game and eighth with a .514 field goal percentage. Julio Guity is fourth in the conference with 8.9 rebounds per game. Chris Williams is fourth in the conference with 5.2 assists per game.
* The Argos are 1-13 vs. Montevallo since 2006 vs. Montevallo and 1-3 at home in the same span. UWF's lone win vs. the Falcons came Feb. 19, 2009 (67-64). This will be the first meeting between the programs since 2013 and the first since Montevallo joined the Gulf South Conference.
GSC/NCAA LEADERS
* Darryl Tucker currently leads the GSC with 10.6 rebounds per game. Tucker also leads the GSC in field goal percentage at .682. He is fifth in the GSC with 1.6 blocks per game. He is eighth with 17.1 points per game. As of Dec. 11, Tucker is eighth in the nation in field goal percentage and 17th in the nation in rebounds per game.
* Moter Deng has hit 32 of 34 free throws so far this year. His .941 mark from the line is the best in the conference. As of Dec. 11, he is tied for 13th in the nation in free throw percentage.
* DJ Thorpe is second in the GSC with 2.3 steals per game. As of Dec. 11, he is tied for 31st in the nation in steals per game.
* Rashaan Benson currently ranks third in the GSC with 5.6 assists per game and is fifth in the conference with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.5.
* West Florida has surrendered 65.6 PPG so far this year, the third-best mark in the conference. The 14.3-point average margin of victory is the also the third-best mark in the GSC.
* UWF is currently second in the GSC in offensive rebounding with 13.3 per game. The Argos have the second-best turnover margin in the GSC, currently at +3.67 per game.
* The Argos have held opponents to a .411 shooting mark from the field, the fifth-lowest percentage in the conference.
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