CLEVELAND, Miss. – The University of West Florida men's basketball team erased a five-point halftime deficit and closed the game at the free-throw line to defeat Delta State, 77-73, Saturday afternoon at Walter Sillers Coliseum. The Argonauts move to 20-6 in 2025-26, and 13-5 in conference play.
 
Elijah Wyche exploded for a game-high 28 points on 8-of-16 shooting and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line while adding nine rebounds. Wyche scored 25 of his 28 in the second half and went 8-for-8 at the line in the final 35 seconds to seal the victory.
 
Aric Demings added 20 points and six rebounds, while Christian Monroe recorded 10 points and six boards. Ryan Payne chipped in 10 points, including a key three-pointer midway through the second half that helped UWF regain momentum.
 
The contest featured 18 lead changes and 12 ties. West Florida controlled the paint, outscoring Delta State 46-28 inside, and used 16 fast-break points to keep pressure on the Statesmen. West Florida finished 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line and outrebounded Delta State 40-32 in the victory.
 
The Argonauts return to Pensacola for the final homestand of the regular season. UWF will face off against Union on Thursday, February 19, at  7:30 p.m. Live stats and broadcast will be available on GoArgos.com.
 
For more information on the UWF men's basketball program, visit GoArgos.com and follow the team on social media at @uwfmbb (Instagram) and @UWFMensBBall (X).