PENSACOLA, Fla. — The University of West Florida men's basketball team (23-8, 15-7 Gulf South) secured a thrilling 96-92 overtime victory over Trevecca Nazarene (18-11, 13-9 Gulf South) on Monday night at UWF Field House in the GSC Championships Quarterfinals. The Argos earned the right to host the semifinal round by outscoring their opponent 15-11 in overtime and capitalizing on a 42-28 rebounding advantage.

The first half commenced with Elijah Wyche scoring a layup for West Florida only 19 seconds into the game, assisted by Anthony Igiede. Trevecca Nazarene's Jax Abernathy quickly responded with a layup to tie the score. The Argos gained a slight edge as Ryan Payne hit a 3-pointer, extending their lead to 15-12. The Trojans kept close, with Fred Bailey contributing from the paint. As the half closed, West Florida maintained its lead with Aric Demings sinking two free throws, securing a 49-45 advantage at the end of the first half.

In the second half, West Florida maintained a narrow lead over their opponent, with Tim Hall Jr. scoring consistently in the paint. Wyche's defensive efforts included key blocks and rebounds, while Igiede contributed with a crucial layup to keep the score tied at 81-81 with just under a minute remaining. Trevecca Nazarene's Tyler Moore was active, scoring multiple layups, including a pivotal one that briefly gave his team the lead. Both teams traded points and defensive stops, setting the stage for a closely contested final half that ended in an overtime-forcing draw.

In the final five minutes, both teams exchanged leads multiple times. A layup by Moore gave his team a brief advantage in the first 15 seconds of the extra period, but Demings quickly responded with a layup to tie the game. Igiede then scored a layup and a free throw to put West Florida ahead, a lead the Argos would not relinquish. Wyche sealed the game with a layup and a free throw to extend the lead to 95-88. Despite a late layup by Justin Bass, West Florida emerged victorious with a 96-92 win.

Wyche scored a perfect 9-for-9 from the field, contributing 21 points and adding 10 rebounds. Demings led the game in scoring with 23 points, connecting on all seven of his free-throw attempts and dishing out four assists. Hall Jr. recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, along with three blocks. Payne hit five 3-pointers, finishing with 16 points.

Looking ahead, West Florida will host the Gulf South Conference Championships semifinal round on Thursday, March 5. The third-seeded Argos will host the seventh-seeded Lee Flames.  Time of tipoff is TBA. Live stats 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).