[Pensacola, FL] - While the Shaw men's basketball team held a lead through much of the first half, West Florida took advantage of Shaw shooting struggles to post an 80-62 win.

After hitting half of their 22 shots in the first half, the Bears fell cold in the second, hitting only nine of 25 (36 percent), while the Argonauts hit 57 percent on the evening (30 of 52).   The Bears were outrebounded 30 to 24, giving up 22 defensive rebounds. 

With the loss, the Bears drop to 4-2 on the season while the Argos improve to 6-3 with their first win over Shaw.  Both of Shaw's losses have come to teams from the Gulf South Conference - the other being Christian Brothers.

Shaw broke on top early in the game, scoring the first five points.  With 15:48 left in the first, Derrick Hunter (left) hit a three to build the Shaw lead to 13-6. 

With 11:57 left in the first, Malik Alvin hit a pair of free throws that again established a seven-point Shaw lead - this one at 22-15.   The Argos then went on a seven-point scoring tear, tying the game at 22. 

With 4:14 left in the half, Hunter hit a layup that gave the Bears a 32-31 lead - the last lead they would hold in the game.  The Argos closed out the half on a seven-point scoring run to take a 39-32 lead into the locker room.

The Bears would close the lead down to five in the second, but could not get closer.  With 11:43 left in the game, Tony Smith (right) sank a layup to cut the Argo lead to 53-45.

West Florida then scored ten straight to build an 18-point lead and effectively end the game.   They would build the lead to as many as 24, but with under two minutes left in the game, the Bears reeled off eight straight of their own.  But it was too little too late, and the Bears went down to the 80-62 defeat.

Smith led the Bears with 15 points and Junius Chaney had 11.  Chaney led the Bears with five rebounds.

Marquis Mathis led the Argos with 24 points.  Jamar Moore had 18 and Mike Lewis 16. Moore led West Florida with seven rebounds.

The Bears continue their southern road trip with an appearance at the Loop Pizza Grille Classic at Valdosta State Thursday and Friday.  On Thursday, the Bears will face host Valdosta at 8:00 p.m.  On Friday, they take on Georgia College at 5:00 p.m.