BOX SCORE

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Four players scored in double-figures, but it was not enough as the UWF Men's Basketball team fell, 86-73, on Monday night against Lee inside Paul Dana Walker Arena.
 
UWF drops to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Gulf South Conference action while the Flames move to 4-0 and 2-0 in GSC play on the young season.  
 
West Florida shot 44 percent from the field and made 16 free throws but committed 15 turnovers, including 11 in the first half, and allowed 17 points off turnovers plus 11 offensive rebounds from the Flames.
 
Tautvydas Kupstas led the way with 18 points on six for 13 shooting while Channick Nkoma registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  Eli Brown and Myles Ruth added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

"I'm really proud of how hard our guys played in the first half", Head Coach Justin Mann, stated. "We had some mental breakdowns that allowed them to get a lead late going into the half but overall we did a good job slowing them down.  I thought we came out slow in the second half and it allowed them to open up the game.  I thought we competed hard and played hard but we still need to be able to execute when things might not be going our way because the little things matter when you are in conference play."
 
The first half was a back-and-forth affair with Lee holding an early advantage before UWF stormed back, taking the lead on a free throw by Eli Brown at the 10:20 mark. Brown would give the Argos their last lead of the game at 24-23 on a three-pointer, before the Flames would grab control with a 12-6 run to have a five-point advantage at the break.
 
Noah Boler-Kyle was the star of the second half for the Flames as he scored 28 of his game-high 32 points in the frame which included a three-pointer to cap a 11-2 run to open the second frame for Lee.  The lead would balloon up to as many as 20 points with 7:13 remaining, before UWF would cut the deficit to as small as 12 on a three-pointer by Xavier Washington.
 
It would be all for not as the Flames would score on their next three possessions and cruise to the final horn.  J.J Barnes and Willie Walton added 23 points for Lee.
 
UWF will be back in action on Friday night at home against Mississippi College.  Tip-off from the UWF Field House is set for 7:30 pm.
 
For the latest on the UWF Men's Basketball Team, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @UWFMensBBall.