JESSIEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team opened its 2008-09 season with a 102-47 win over Champion Baptist on Saturday night.

Senior Raymond Wright (New York, N.Y.), the team’s leading scorer from a year ago, started his season off with a game-high 23-point performance, while also grabbing five rebounds.

UAM shot close to 64 percent from the field in the first half and 62 percent in the second for a game total of close to 63 percent. The team connected on 43 of 69 field goal attempts.

Wright was responsible for 10 of those field goals, while also going 3 for 5 from the charity stripe.

Also reaching double digits were junior Carlos West (Americus, Ga.) and junior James Early (Arlington, Ga.), both turning in 12 points, while senior Bernard Seymour (Biloxi, Miss.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

Head Coach Mike Newell got plenty of reps for his bench players, as the reserves combined for over half of the Weevil’s points with 52. West, Early and Seymour all contributed to that total coming off the bench.

UAM took the lead first and never relinquished - extending the lead to as much as 59 with around nine minutes left on the clock in the second half.