H. AUSTILL PHARR GYMNASIUM | MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Mobile Men's Basketball team opened the year 2024 with a big conference win over Middle Georgia State University on Thursday night, Jan. 4, winning 76-52 after never trailing in the game. The 24-point victory for the 16th-ranked Rams improves the overall record to 11-3 on the year, while moving the SSAC record to 5-2. Additionally, Mobile is now 6-1 on their home floor of Pharr Gymnasium, with another conference meeting scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 6 at home.
Game Recap
After almost two minutes ticked off the clock before seeing a team score, Mobile's Trent Moye managed to first points of the game with a three-pointer to put the Rams out front. From there, Mobile never looked back and led for the rest of the game. Moye continued his hot hand from deep just under a minute later, knocking down his second made three-pointer to start Mobile on a 6-0 run. The Rams relied on the deep shot throughout the early stages of the first half as Treylan Smith joined the party with a made three with just over 15 minutes left in the half. The Rams' first made shot that was not a three-pointer came five minutes into the game.
For Middle Ga. State, consistent offense was the Knights' kryptonite as the Rams eventually ran off with a 22-8 run through the first 12 minutes of the first half. The Knights finally managed to score double-digits with just over eight minutes left in the half. Meanwhile, the Mobile offense continued momentum, eventually ending the half with 43 points off a 54% shooting line. Trent Moye led all scorers with 14 first-half points, connecting with three made three-point shots. For Middle Ga. State, the Knights went to halftime with only 18 points total.
In the second half, the Knights' offense picked up some, outscoring Mobile 34-33 in the final 20 minutes of the game. However, Mobile's strong first half proved to be the difference as the Rams went on to win by 24 points. Similar to Moye's first-half numbers, Mobile's DaMariee Jones notched 14 points in the second half to keep Mobile out front. Mobile Head Coach Darnell Archey began emptying his bench with just under seven minutes left in the game.
Inside the Box Score
Trent Moye and DaMariee Jones led all players in scoring in Thursday's win for the Rams, with Moye tallying 23 points with five made threes and six rebounds. Jones scored 22 points off a 10-for-14 shooting line from the floor, adding four rebounds and three assists. Ezra McKenna followed with a double-double, scoring 12 points and matching a season-high 18 rebounds. Overall, the Rams tallied 38 points in the paint against Middle Georgia State, while out-rebounding the Knights, 48-35.
As a team, Mobile shot 49% throughout the win, finishing 8-for-12 from the free throw line. Additionally, 71 of Mobile's 76 points came from Darnell Archey's five starters. For Middle Ga. State, the visiting team was only able to shoot 32% in Pharr Gymnasium, making just two of 20 three-points attempts. The Knights went 0-for-9 from deep in the first half, while the Rams made eight successful three-pointers throughout the game.
Back to Work on Saturday
Mobile is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. CT game on Saturday, Jan. 6 for the next game on the schedule, hosting Brewton-Parker College (Ga.) in the process. Saturday's meeting with the Barons is the first of two regular season games between the two programs. Mobile has won eight of the last nine meetings against Brewton-Parker, including five straight.
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About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
