UWG Men’s Basketball started off the season a bit rocky but have been quickly improving. The Wolves won three consecutive games on Jan. 5, 19, and 22, improving their record to 7-9.
The Wolves defeated Delta State, Montevallo and Auburn Montgomery during their three game win streak. No other team in the Gulf South Conference has won three games in a row this season. The Wolves hope to build on their streak and keep the momentum going.
“It definitely feels good to win three straight,” said UWG Men’s Basketball player Deng Nhial. “We [UWG] haven’t been winning as much as we’d want to but this is a good sign. We still have more work to do as the season goes on but this gives us some motivation to push.”
UWG went on a three game losing streak twice earlier in the season. They were one of the lower seeds in the conference. Coach Moore knew that adjustments had to be made for the Wolves to improve.
Coming off of an NCAA tournament appearance last year, the Wolves are still confident that they can make it back despite their trials. The Wolves still have several games to play before the GSC tournament. Moore still believes they can turn things around.
“Win or lose, Coach Moore is always going to believe in us,” said Nhial. “We have been through ups and downs as a team which only makes us stronger.”
Seth Brown-Carter and Michael Zabetakis have been carrying the offensive load for the Wolves during this streak. Both are among the top three scorers on the team. Brown-Carter is tied for first in scoring for the Wolves, averaging 14 points a game. Zabetakis is second on the team, averaging 12 points a game.
When the team is clicking on the offensive end, the rest of the team follows suit and the Wolves become difficult to beat.
“Having guys like Michael and Seth is just great because they enhance our offense,” said Nhial. “They are really good at making plays for themselves and for others.
“We didn’t have Seth last year due to off-court reasons,” Nhial continued. “We still had success but now to see him back doing the things we know he can do is a great thing.”
From this point on, Coach Moore and the Wolves already know what to expect. The GSC is full of good teams and any team can be beaten whether they are at the top of the standings or at the bottom.
“We understand that it’s a long season with ups and downs,” said Nhial. “However, as a team, we will always go into each game with the mindset that we’re going to win.”
The next Men’s Basketball game will be Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. at the Coliseum against Christian Brothers University.