Box Score

PENSACOLA, Fla. –Wendell Matthews had a career-high 35 points on 15-20 shooting and six blocks to lead UWF past Montevallo, by a final of 84-77 on Tuesday night at Trustmark Arena.
 
With the victory, West Florida improves to 7-10 while the Falcons drop to 6-8.
 
The 35 points were significant as it was the most in a GSC contest this season, besting teammate Tarik Mckelphin who scored 33 points earlier in the season.  Matthews also enters the Argonaut record book as the 35 are the sixth most in program history.  With 15 field goals made, Matthews now holds the season-high in the GSC for field goals made in a contest.
 
"Wendell was a monster", UWF Head Coach Jeff Burkhamer said.  "He made huge shots and free throws to close out the win." 
 
Daniel Sofield and Tarik Mckelphin each scored in double-figures for UWF as well with Sofield totaling 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Mckelphin had 12 points and five boards.  Conor Flanagan added nine points in the victory.
 
UWF was stellar throughout the contest, shooting a season-high 55 percent from the field, which included a blistering 63 percent in the final period.  West Florida for the vast majority of the contest, with UM having their only lead at 4-2 early in the first.
 
West Florida held their largest lead of the game at 33-14, which came with just over five minutes in the first half following a free-throw by Brett Carter Jr.  Montevallo did go on a 17-7 run to close the period, as UWF held a 40-31 advantage at the break, behind 12 points from Matthews.
 
The second half was more of the same with UWF building a comfortable lead early in the second half, a jumper from Mckelphin to put the Argos up 48-33 with 17:58 remaining.  Montevallo would slowly get back into the game in the second period, cutting the lead quickly down to six after a three by Mason Shiflett at the 12:46 mark.
 
UWF would turn to Matthews who scored 21 of his 35 points in the final 11:23 of the second period, as the junior racked up 70 percent of the Argos final 30 points of the contest.  After a Matthews jumper to put West Florida up 10 with six minutes remaining, the Falcons would make their final charge of the game, going on a 10-2 run to put the game at 68-66, with 4:22 on the clock on a Xavier Malcolm three-pointer.
 
Matthews and Sofield would however be the difference with the duo accounting for 12 of the Argonaut's final 14 points, in route to the victory.  UWF also received clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch, registering an 88.2 percentage for the game.
 
Mason Shifflett and Braxton Bertollette each had 22 points to lead Montevallo for the night.
 
The Argonauts also had a decided rebounding advantage in the contest at 35-28 and the Argos also had seven blocks, with Matthews accounting for six of them.  The six blocks in a game is the third most in UWF history.
 
"I love how hard we fought", Burkhamer continued.  "We had big shots and terrific free throw shooting down the stretch, including a huge three-pointer from Daniel (Sofield) to give us breathing room. In all, I am just really happy for our players."
 
West Florida will return home for the final two regular season games of the season on Friday and Saturday against Valdosta State.  Tip-off on Friday night is set for 6:30 p.m. with Saturday's tip-off slated for 3 p.m.
 
For the latest on the UWF Men's Basketball Team, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the team on Twitter @UWFMensBBall.