PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern men's basketball got back into the win column on Saturday hosting Thomas. The Firehawks had five players contribute 10 or more points in the 85-66 win. UTS improved to 9-12 overall and 6-6 in league play.
Mark Vance ushered the Firehawks to a win leading all scorers with 23 points and seven boards. Mike Bell, Jr. and Vito Vujovic each added 15 points. Zaiden Cross and Koby Isaac both contributed 12 points. Cross missed a double double corralling nine rebounds.
UTS got out in front early and never looked back leading from wire to wire in the win. UT Southern drained five treys and shot 11-39 from the floor for 38% in the opening stanza. Vance led the way with 11 points, closely followed by Cross and Bell, Jr., with nine each. Cross cleaned the glass in the first 20, wiping away eight rebounds in the half. UTS led by as many as 22 in the final minute before the half.
In the final half, both teams shot 40 plus percent from the floor, (UTS 43% and TU 46%).  UTS held their largest lead six minutes into the final period at 25 points.
BY THE NUMBERS
40.4 – UTS shot 23-57 for 40.4 percent outshooting the Nighthawks' 22-55 (40%).
7 – UTS drained seven triples, one less than TU.
32 – UTS connected on 35 of 35 free throws, to TU's 14 of 20 from the foul line.
39 – The Firehawks pulled down 39 rebounds in the game, six more than the Nighthawks.

CHASING HISTORY
With today's win, head coach Andy Sharpe tied the program mark for most wins. Sharpe is tied with former Martin Methodist coach Chuck Benson who compiled a 137-96 (.588) in seven seasons. Benson was the head mentor of the RedHawks from 1996 through the completion of the 2003 season. Sharpe led the RedHawks from 2007 through the completion of the 2012 season, before accepting a job at Southern Arkansas. Sharpe's current record is 137-52.

NEXT UP
The Firehawks will travel to Mobile, Ala., to face the Rams on February 6. The match is set for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. UT Southern defeated Mobile 98-91 on December 7 in Pulaski.
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