VALDOSTA, Ga. – The UWF men's basketball team fought off a 16-point first half deficit on Sunday evening against Valdosta but was unable to close the game out late in regulation, falling 90-88.

After trailing most of the game, the Argos claimed a one-point lead with 46 seconds left. Senior guard Shay Davis drilled four straight free throws on back-to-back possessions to give UWF an 84-83 lead. Valdosta responded with a 3-pointer and a succeeding steal and layup to quickly grab momentum and a four-point lead with 13 seconds on the clock. James Locke IV then hit a triple for UWF with five seconds left. After Valdosta made two free throws, Davis was fouled on a long inbound pass to send the senior to the line down 90-87. Davis hit the first shot and then intentionally missed the second to give UWF a chance at a rebound, but Valdosta came away with the ball to close the game out.

The Argos did not get off to the start they wanted in what was the third Gulf South Conference game of the season. The team hit just one shot from the floor in the first six minutes of the contest. UWF was down 21-5 as the game headed to the midway mark of the first half.

But the Argos rallied and closed the final six minutes of the first half in strong fashion by using a 15-5 run to make the score 47-45 at the break.

West Florida grabbed its first lead of the game two minutes into the second half when Ja'Ron Briggs Jr. hit a pair of free throws to put UWF up 52-51. The score remained tight for the rest of the game with the largest lead being only six points in favor of Valdosta.

Davis finished the game with 16 points, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds. Ja'Ron Briggs Jr. was a rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds.

It was the best shooting performance of the season for UWF. The team shot 55-percent from the field and nearly the same from beyond the arc.

UWF (1-8, 0-3 GSC) will be at home this week for a pair of games before a short break during the holidays. The team will host Lee on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday at 4 p.m.