PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Argos (16-11, 12-9 Gulf South) cruised to a 64-51 win over the University of Montevallo (5-21, 4-17 Gulf South) at Central State Bank Arena, thanks to a relentless defensive effort that racked up 17 steals. Five players hit double digits, showcasing a well-rounded offensive attack.

Leading the charge was Annarose Tyre with 13 points, hitting 5 of 13 from the field and swiping three steals. Amelia Bell notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, six of those on the offensive end. Avery O'Connor joined the double-double club, putting up 10 points and grabbing 10 boards, nine defensively. Finley Kennedy chipped in 11 points, three steals, and five rebounds.

The game tipped off with Elyse Hughes putting Montevallo ahead with two quick layups. The Argos responded when Tyre drove in a layup and Janai Jordan added a tip-in and a jumper to close the gap. Then Montevallo's Audrey Hendrix nailed a 3-pointer assisted by Hughes, stretching their lead. Isabel Grimes and Kennedy answered with layups for the Argos, and Grimes set up O'Connor for a clutch 3-pointer at the 10-second mark, knotting the game at 15 to end the first quarter.

O'Connor kicked off the second quarter with a 3-pointer, giving the Argos an 18-15 edge. Hughes answered with a layup for Montevallo, nudging them ahead 19-18. Tyre's fast-break layup reclaimed the lead for West Florida, which was bolstered by Kennedy's offensive tip-in and jumper. In the waning seconds of the quarter, Tyre hit a pivotal three with 34 seconds left, putting the team up 32-29. Kennedy then closed the quarter with a paint jumper, sending the Argos into halftime with a 34-29 advantage.

The Argos edged Montevallo 14-12 in the third, preserving their lead. Bell's layup at nine minutes widened the gap to 36-29. Hughes answered with a layup to trim it to 37-31. Kennedy's jumper with 16 seconds left and Grimes' fastbreak layup with three seconds on the clock sealed the quarter at 48-41.

In the fourth, the Argos held their ground with solid play on both ends. Kennedy's offensive board and tip-in at 8:38 extended their lead to 50-41. Bell made her presence felt with key offensive rebounds, including a layup with 4:36 left, stretching the lead to 58-47. Montevallo's Emily Mouser tried to rally with consistent scoring, including a layup at 4:25, bringing it to 58-49, but the Argos dominated the paint. West Florida wrapped up the game with a 64-51 victory, leveraging strong rebounding and sharp free-throw shooting.

Next up, the Argos hit the road to take on Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) on Friday, Feb. 27, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m. in Montgomery, Alabama.