The University of West Florida women’s basketball team jumped out to a 50-24 lead in the first half and cruised to a 78-66 win over visiting Alabama-Huntsville in the team’s second Gulf South Conference game of the season, improving to 11-5 overall and an undefeated 2-0 in conference play.

Senior Amy Drake led the team with 24 points including a 6-for-9 mark from three-point territory and a team-high eight assists. UWF shot 44.9 percent from the field as two other Argonauts scored in double digits.

Freshman Sabrina Stambouli matched her career-high performance from UWF’s last game against West Alabama with 16 points in only 16 minutes of play. Senior Tiffany Williams added 11 points and six assists.

The Argonauts out-rebounded UAH 47-33, as sophomore Kirstin McIntyre pulled down eight boards and four other Argos each grabbed six.

Alabama-Huntsville (3-10, 0-1 GSC) made the first basket of the game but the Argonauts soon took control, allowing only one tie the entire game at 22-22 with 9:03 to go in the first half.

Starting at that point, UWF broke the game wide open with a 28-2 run over the final nine minutes of the half, as Drake hit a buzzer-beating three to make the score 50-24 at halftime. The Chargers stepped up in the second half, outscoring the Argonauts 42-28, but it would not be enough to make up the 26-point margin.

Alabama-Huntsville opened the half with a 14-3 run, but senior Jessie Ivey stopped the run with a three-pointer with 15:16 left. The Chargers kept battling, but the Argonauts’ first-half lead was too much to overcome as UWF clinched the 12-point victory.

Alabama-Huntsville shot 37.9 percent for the game, including 50 percent in the second half. The Chargers finished with 11 steals to the Argonauts’ nine, four of which belonged to sophomore Keaundrea Merriewether.

Andrea Bennett led the Chargers with 11 points, as Renita Lewis added 10 points, three blocked shots, and three steals.

• UWF 72, WEST ALABAMA 59:

The University of West Florida women’s basketball team had a successful start to Gulf South Conference play for the 2009-10 season with a 72-59 win over East Division rival West Alabama at the UWF Field House  last Thursday.

Stambouli and Emily Erland both had standout performances off the bench, scoring 16 and 14 points, respectively, for career high performances as Argonauts.

West Florida (10-5, 1-0 GSC) shot 36.8 percent from the field while out-rebounding UWA (3-13, 0-1 GSC) 42 to 38.

Seniors Williams  and Ivey each contributed nine points, while senior Jamie Freeman and sophomore Merriewether each led in rebounds with five apiece.

During the first half the Tigers came out fighting and immediately took control of the lead, scoring three baskets before West Florida finally managed to sink one. West Alabama went up by 10 with 15:38 until the half after a three-pointer by Dakota Powell.

  The Argonauts climbed their way back into the game, with Ivey sinking a huge shot from the long range and senior Dominique Boykins putting up two layups to tie the score at 17-17 with 10:52 to go.

A series of unforced turnovers by West Alabama allowed the Argonauts to pull away and take a seven-point lead at the half at 37-30.

West Florida remained in control of the lead for the rest of the game, as Stambouli went on a 10-point streak and Ivey sunk another two three-pointers to total three for the night, matching Stambouli’s three.

The Argonauts were up by as many as 18 during the second half.
The Tigers outshot UWF with 41.1 percent for the game, but they also committed 23 turnovers.

Nicole Dames led the team with 13 points, as Jenni Thomley and Dakota Powell each added 12 and 11 points, respectively.