MOBILE, Ala-- The University of Mobile men's basketball used a hot-shooting night from the floor to defeat conference foe Auburn University-Montgomery 84-71 at Pharr Gym Thursday evening in SSAC action.

Mobile (9-7, 2-1) will host Life University Saturday at 7 pm. AUM falls to 5-11 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Donte Walker led the Rams with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Matthew Turner added 15 points and 8 boards, and Spencer Duke, Brock Dockery and Ji Kimbrough each chipped in 10 points to the Mobile cause.

Charles Perona led three Senators in double figures with a 15-point effort.

Mobile shot 55% for the game compared to 34% from the Senators, and the Rams went 8-of-16 from 3-point range, while AUM finished only 6-of-22 from deep.

It was the Rams' hot start that keyed the victory, as Mobile shot a scorching 71% from the floor in the opening period on their way to building a 52-40 lead at the break. They sank 6-of-9 3's in the opening 20 minutes.

Matthew Turner opened the game with a 3-point play and then Duke and Walker went to work to give the Rams a 26-13 lead with 12:38 to play in the opening half. That duo combined for 17 of those first 26 points. Mobile continued its hot shooting in the half as five straight points from Dockery gave the team an 18-point lead with 5:07 to go.

In the final period, AUM pulled within 56-49 with 16:14 left, but the Rams answered with a mini 9-2 run to take a commanding 65-51 lead with 12:19 left. The Senators could not get any closer than nine the rest of the way.