Livingston, Ala. -- West Alabama topped the Hawks, 87-68, to start the 2016 portion of the season Saturday afternoon in Livingston, Ala.

Shorter slips to 6-7 on the season and 1-6 in the Gulf South Conference; while the Tigers improve to 7-6 overall and 3-4 in the GSC.

Through most of the first half the teams traded the lead, with the Hawks holding their largest lead of the day when Trevor McDade netted a layup to make it a 20-13 game midway through the first half. Only to have West Alabama erase the deficit using a 9-2 run to make it a 22-22 game with 6:36 to go. Chris Daniels answered for Shorter with a three-pointer to regain the advantage with 6:02 remaining, but again the Tigers fought back to tie the game, and took the lead for good on a three-pointer from Cannon Edwards with 28 seconds to play before halftime.

Every Hawk that played made it into the scorebook with McDade leading the effort with 19 points on the day. Amonte Potter chipped in with 12 for the Hawks and Alijah Bennett added 10; while Daniels finished with nine and Phil Taylor posted eight.

Shorter will look to get back in the win column Monday, January 4, when they travel to Carrollton, Ga. to take on West Georgia. Game time is set for 7:30pm eastern at the Coliseum.