Final Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The University of West Alabama men’s basketball team dropped its second contest of the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament, as the Tigers were defeated by Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 63-58, Saturday afternoon.

"We totally just got beat today," UWA head coach Rick Reedy said. "They appeared to just want it more than us."

Stan Gill, who was one rebound shy of his first double-double of the season, led UWA with 18 points and nine rebounds in the game. Jenario Bunton collected 13 points, while Joe Eatmon supplied 12 points.

Bryan Morales led all scores with 17 points for Puerto Rico-Bayamon. Michael Gonzalez posted 16 points, while Edgardo Vega chimed in 14 points.

UWA shot 41.5-percent from the field to UPRB’s 49-percent in the game.

UWA opened the game with a trey from Bunton, as the Tigers jumped out to a double digit lead, 11 points, midway thru the first half.

UPRB chipped away at the UWA lead and closed the gap on the Tigers with a 16-9 run to close the opening half, as UWA, who led the entire first half, entered the intermission up 31-27.

Puerto Rico-Bayamon would gain its first lead of the game, 37-35, with 16:10 remaining in the game on a lay-up by Gonzalez.

UWA would tie the game, for the fourth time, on a pair of free throws from Patrick Winters, but UPRB would go on a 14-2 run, over the next six minutes, to gain the largest lead of the game at 14 points.

The Tigers would chip away at the lead and cut the lead down to five points late in the game, but the UWA rally would not be enough to earn the Tigers the victory.

West Alabama will play in its final game of the Hillmyer-Tremont Classic on Sunday, as the Tigers will face Palm Beach Atlantic at 3:00 p.m.