PENSACOLA, Fla. –  Maxwell Benoit scored a collegiate career-high 31 points, and UWF men's basketball cruised past West Georgia 83-51 Saturday afternoon.
 
"I was really proud of our effort," said UWF head coach Jeff Burkhamer. "We were really good on both sides of the ball. We played well for a 40 minute stretch."

The win was the most impressive of the season for the Argonauts, who reset team season-highs in points (83) and shooting percentage by going 26-of-49 (.531) from the field. The margin of victory (32) was also the largest of the season for UWF, and the 51 points were the fewest the team has held an opponent to this year.
 
"A lot of of different guys helped us offensively. We took good shots, we got great shots and shot the highest percentage we have all year, and on the defensive end we were outstanding," said Burkhamer.
 
Benoit got going early and often. He reset his UWF career-high in just the first half, notching 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field in the opening 20 minutes. UWF built a 42-25 lead going to the locker room on the strength of 12-of-24 (.500) shooting from the field and 6-of-12 (.500) shooting from deep.
 
"I have the same approach. I just pick my spots and my teammates find me, and I hit open shots," said Benoit. "I had a good night."

Benoit's 31 total points eclipsed his previous collegiate career high of 26, set while he played at Daytona State. The junior transfer has now scored 47 points over the last two games and 60 points over the last three games.

The Argos kept the foot on the pedal in the second. The stifling UWF defense limited West Georgia to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Wolves also scored 51 in a loss at Delta State Jan. 7). West Florida kept careful tabs on the GSC's leading scorer Marquill Smith, who recorded just 12 points (only two in the second half). The output was his second-lowest of the year.
 
The Wolves managed to shoot just 17-of-52 (.327) from the field and 6-of-29 (.207) from deep. Both were the second-lowest marks of the season for UWG. The Argos forced 18 Wolves turnovers while committing just 11.
 
Jon Brown scored 16 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Alassane Kah scored 12 points and recorded two rebounds. Jarrett Henderson narrowly missed out on his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and eight rebounds. Rashaan Benson netted nine points while also posting five assists and five rebounds.
 
"We just can't get complacent," said Brown, the reigning Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week. "We'd been struggling the first half of the season, and people have been looking down on us. But now we're coming here, and we're ready to go."

The Argos (7-11, 3-7 GSC) have now won three straight games. The team hits the road for West Alabama (12-5, 7-3 GSC) Jan. 24 for a 7:30 tip. The team will return home Jan. 28 vs. Auburn Montgomery (6-11, 2-7 GSC) at 7:30 p.m.
 
For the latest information on UWF men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter @UWFMensBBall.