CLEVELAND, Tenn. – UWF men's basketball erased a 17-point deficit at the Paul Dana Walker Arena Monday but could not hold on, falling to the Lee University Flames 70-67. Rashaan Benson scored 21 points, just two off his personal season-high.
 
Benson scored the game's first five points, knocking down a three before converting the first of his four steals into a layup. Lee shot 15-of-24 in the first from the field though, building a 39-27 lead at half.
 
UWF came out much hotter in the second, shooting 18-of-30 (.600) from the field after the break. Alassane Kah and Maxwell Benoit helped the squad back into the game with 22 combined points, the majority registered in the second.
 
West Florida outscored Lee 29-16 over an 11-minute stretch beginning at the 14:15 mark. The Argonauts emerged from the run with a 65-61 lead after scoring six points on consecutive makes by Kah, Benoit and Benson.
 
The Flames (6-5, 4-0 GSC) tied the game at 65-65 before a jumper by Jon Brown, who had ten points, put the Argos back up 67-65.  The Flames equalized with 41 seconds left on a jump shot by Ryan Montgomery. An Argonaut missed three set the Flames up for the game-winner, a three with 2.5 seconds by Parker Suedekum.
 
Benson has now scored at least 20 in three different games this season. His eight made field goals matched the highest output by an Argo in 2018-19. His four steals were a team-high this year. The double-digit scoring effort was the seventh of the year for Brown.
 
Benoit racked up six assists in addition to his ten points. The six assists matched a season-high  for an Argo.
 
UWF (3-8, 0-4 GSC) returns home Dec. 30 vs. LaGrange College for the final game of the 2018 calendar year. Tip is slated for 4:00 p.m. in the UWF Field House. 
 
For the latest on UWF men's basketball, follow the program on Twitter @UWFMensBBall.