PENSACOLA, Fla. –  A rally from an 11-point second half deficit came up short as the University of Florida (11-14, 7-10 GSC) held on for 73-70 win over the Delta State University men's basketball team (15-9, 11-6 GSC) on Thurs., Feb. 14 at the UWF Field House.
 
Trailing 73-70, Rasheide Bells' 3-point attempt to send the game to overtime was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.
 
Brett Warner and Armon Benford scored 13 points and Justin Slocum added 10 points to lead the Statesmen.  
 
 
THE BASICS:
Score:  West Florida 73 | Delta State 70
Records: Statesmen 15-9, 11-6 GSC | Argos 11-14, 7-10 GSC
Series: DSU leads 15-9
Location | Time: UWF Field House | 7:30 pm
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Jon Brown gave the Argos a 15-6 lead with 13:19 left in the first half.
• The Statesmen used an 8-0 to cut the UWF lead to 15-14 at the 10:56 mark.
• Bell made a pair of free throws to tie the game, 18-18 with 8:56 remaining in the first half.
• A Henre Ventoniemi basket put UWF up 24-18 with 5:29 left in the first half.
• The Statesmen bounced back to take a 29-28 lead on a Cedric Harper layup and then held a 31-30 lead on another Harper layup with 36 seconds to go before halftime.
• Brown would sink two free throws to give UWF a 32-31 lead at intermission.
• The Green-and-White claimed a 39-36 on a Warner 3-pointer at the 16:40 mark of the second half.
• UWF used a 10-0 run to claimed a 46-39 lead after a Jarrett Henderson jumper with 14:14 to play.
• Trailing 63-52, the Statesmen chipped away to cut the deficit to 69-67 on a Warner 3-pointer with 45 seconds left.
• A Bell 3-pointer put the Statesmen to within one at 71-70 with 12 seconds to go.
• Two Brown free throws gave UWF a 73-70 with nine seconds left.
• Bell's 3-point attempt to send the game to overtime missed at the buzzer.

• UWF's 5-0 run extended a 58-52 lead to 63-52 with 5:36 remaining in the second half

• West Florida was 21-or-26 from the free throw line, including 13-of-17 in the second half.

• Warner moved his career scoring total to 1,331 points and needs 20 points to pass PJ Davis (2014-18/1,350 points) for eighth on the Statesmen career scoring list.
• Benford also chipped in 14 points along and had six rebounds.  
• Harper led the Statesmen with seven rebounds
• Brown's 25 points led four Argos double figures followed by Henderson with 19 points and eight rebounds.

• The Statesmen close out the road trip against Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network (WMJW 107.5FM) and online at GoStatesmen.com. Philip Tang will have the call.