CARROLLTON, Ga. - The new year started off on the right foot for the West Georgia Wolves on Thursday night, as the Wolves blasted the Mississippi College Choctaws by an 84-63 count at A.E. Wood Coliseum in Clinton, Mississippi. 

The win was the second consecutive victory for the Wolves, as head coach Dave Moore's squad improved to 4-8 on the year and 2-2 in Gulf South Conference play. The loss drops Mississippi College to 5-6 overall and 1-3 against league competition. 

West Georgia shot 50 percent from the field in the opening period of the first game of the 2020 calendar year, building a double-digit lead over the Mississippi College Choctaws at halftime. The Wolves came out shooting well with a 9-5 lead early, then a 10-6 run from the Choctaws tied the contest at 15-15 with 10:45 left in the first half. West Georgia, with balanced scoring over the final 10 minutes of the contest, went on a 27-17 run to close out the half and take a 42-32 lead into the locker room at the break.

Karlos Odum, Kovi Tate, and Michael Zabetakis each had nine points in the opening half, with Tate knocking on the door of his sixth double-double of the season with seven rebounds as well. The Wolves were strong on the boards against the second-best rebounding team in the Gulf South Conference, outrebounding the Choctaws to the tune of 27-16 in the first half. 

In the second half, the two teams played to a virtual draw over the first eight minutes, as the Wolves held a 59-48 lead until a Tate jumper put UWG up 61-48 with 11:33 left in the game. At that point, Tate took over the game. The junior scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the final 11:33 of the contest, propelling the Wolves to as much as a 21-point lead down the stretch. 

Tate's 23 points was the fourth time that the McDonough native has scored at least 20 points this season, but the first time since November 23. A West Georgia player has scored at least 20 in every game this season except one, as Tate led the team with 17 at Morehouse. He also grabbed 10 rebounds in the game, marking his sixth double-double of the season. 

Jones and Oronte' Anderson each added 14 points on the night and Odum had 13 points and eight rebounds for the cause. West Georgia will be back in action on Saturday afternoon, taking on the Delta State Statesmen on the road at 5 p.m. from Cleveland, Miss.