FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team downed Saint Augustine’s College, 66-47, in a neutral-site contest Dec. 18 at Clayton State University.

The Falcons (7-1) dominated from start to finish as they forced 22 turnovers and held St. Augustine’s to just 36.2 percent shooting. Montevallo shot 47.2 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range.

Montevallo, ranked No. 12 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Division II poll, was led by senior Cecil Coleman, who scored 15 points while hitting 6-of-10 shots.

Junior Ryan Westbrooks chipped in 12 points while hitting a pair of 3-point shots. Junior Jervan Jackson was the only other Montevallo player in double figures with 10 points.

Redshirt sophomore Jonas Brown fell just shy of double digits as he scored nine points while hitting 3-of-4 shots from 3-point range.

Senior Ronald Severtsgaard and junior Antoine Davis tied for the lead in rebounding with seven each. They also scored seven points each. Davis also led the team in assists with five.

The Falcons never trailed in the game as they opened up with back-to-back 3-pointers from Brown to take a 6-2 lead. Montevallo’s largest lead in the first half came at the 3:41 mark as Davis hit a layup to give the Falcons a 33-19 lead and 14-point advantage.

Saint Augustine’s was able to cut the Falcons’ lead to 12 as time expired in the first half.

Up 36-24 to begin the second half, the Falcons continued to roll. Davis, Severtsgaard and Coleman hit back-to-back-to-back layups to open the second period and push the Falcons lead to 18 points.

Montevallo’s largest lead of the game came at the 9:04 mark as Coleman hit a pair of free throws to give the Falcons a 24-point lead.

Saint Augustine’s was able to cut the lead to just 13 points late in the second half, but that would be as close as they would come.

Montevallo women fall to Lincoln Memorial

Former Gulf South Conference rival Lincoln Memorial University hung on late to down the University of Montevallo women’s basketball team, 64-60, in a non-conference game Dec. 18.

The Falcons (4-5) led most of the first half, but the Railsplitters were able to take the lead late in the period and hung on the entire second half as they hit key shots down the stretch.

Montevallo was led by junior Tiffany McClure and senior Jessica Collins, who scored 14 and 12 points, respectively. They also finished first and second in rebounding with seven and six, respectively. Junior Shavonne Seymore also chipped in six rebounds to tie with Collins.

Senior Carrie Parrott and junior Taylor Welch each had eight points.

The Falcons outshot the Railsplitters, hitting 42.6 percent of their shots compared to 41.1 for Lincoln Memorial. However, the Railsplitters capitalized on their trips to the free-throw line as they hit 14-of-19 from the charity stripe Montevallo hit 9-of-14 shots at the charity stripe.

Lincoln Memorial scored the first basket of the game before Montevallo answered with back-to-back jumpers from Parrott and McClure to take a 4-2 lead. From the Falcons’ first basket of the game, Montevallo either led or was tied up until the 1:05 mark of the first half when Lincoln Memorial hit a 3-pointer to take a one-point lead.

The Railsplitters finished the period with a pair of free throws and a layup to head to halftime with a five-point advantage.

The second half was the exact opposite of the first, with Lincoln Memorial in control and the Falcons playing catch-up.

With 5:40 left in the game, Collins hit a 3-pointer to cut the Lincoln Memorial lead to just two points. Montevallo was unable to convert on the next three possessions, which allowed the Railsplitters to maintain control.

A jumper by Collins at the 2:37 mark once again cut the lead to just two points. Lincoln Memorial missed just one shot from that point on and did not turn the ball over as they went on to outscore the Falcons 6-4 in the final 2:30 to hang on for the victory.

Montevallo baseball staff to offer coaching clinic

University of Montevallo baseball head coach Chandler Rose and the Falcons’ baseball staff will hold a free coaching clinic in late January at the Student Activity Center on the University of Montevallo campus.

The event will take place Saturday, Jan. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Clinic topics will include throwing, hitting, infield play and pitching mechanics.

The coaching staff invites all youth, little league and high school baseball coaches to attend. All coaches are invited to stay and watch the Montevallo baseball team practice at 1 p.m.

For more information email assistant coach Erik Maas at Emaas@montevallo.edu or head coach Chandler Rose at Cnrose@montevallo.edu.