Feb. 6, 2006
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - - West Florida trailed 14th ranked Alabama-Huntsville by only five points with 6:52 remaining in the game. But Alabama-Huntsville used a 14-2 run down the stretch to pull away for a 67-50 triumph at Spragins Hall on Monday. With the loss, West Florida falls to 11-10, 1-8 in the Gulf South Conference. Alabama-Huntsville improves to 19-3, 8-1 in the GSC.
West Florida and Alabama-Huntsville were tied at 28-28 at halftime. It was the second time this season that the two teams were tied at the break. With Alabama-Huntsville leading 37-35, the Chargers went on 10-3 run to open up a nine-point lead. Jason Smith scored six of the 10 points on two three-pointers. West Florida cut the deficit to five on two occasions; after a Kashif Russell three-pointer and a Russell lay-up. With Alabama-Huntsville leading 53-48 with 6:52 remaining, neither team scored for nearly two minutes. Graham Aderholt ended the scoreless drought with a three-point play at the five minute mark. His basket was the beginning of nine straight Charger points, which was part of a 14-2 run, to lift the Chargers to victory. A Marcus Grant lay-up with 3:07 remaining marked the only West Florida points over the final 6:52.
Alabama-Huntsville started the game by scoring the first five points and jumping out to an 11-4 lead. But West Florida immediately responded with a 15-3 run to give the Argonauts a five-point lead. Alabama-Huntsville managed to tie the game at 28 at halftime.
Kashif Russell led West Florida with a team-high 12 points and five rebounds off the bench. Maurice Thomas added 11 points, while Donovan Redden collected 10 points. Marcus Grant finished with seven points, four assists, and three steals. Aderholt and Smith scored 12 points apiece for Alabama-Huntsville. Casey Stafford dished out seven of the Chargers 23 assists.
West Florida travels to Hattiesburg, Miss. for a non-conference game against William Carey on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. This is the make-up date for the game that was originally scheduled for November 19. West Florida won the first meeting, 103-84, on Dec. 12 in Pensacola.
