FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO – The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team fell for the first time this season inside Trustmark Arena following a 73-68 loss to visiting Georgia Southwestern State University in a Peach Belt Conference contest Feb. 13.

A game-tying 3-point attempt by sophomore Troran Brown rimmed out with eight seconds remaining.

Brown led the Falcons (15-8 overall, 11-5 in Peach Belt Conference) with a career-high 31 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. Brown, who knocked down 14-of-14 attempts at the free-throw line, dished out three assists and finished with three steals.

Senior Drico Hightower added 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor. Senior Marvin Fitzgerald posted his team-leading 10^th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Fitzgerald finished 4-of-7 from the field and 4-of-7 from the charity stripe.

Sophomore Ryan May contributed five points and four rebounds. Senior Travis DeShazior chipped in four points off the bench, while fellow senior Jonas Brown finished with three points.

Jamon Hawkins led Georgia Southwestern with 28 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Hawkins also knocked down 8-of-9 free-throw attempts.

The Hurricanes opened the game with a 11-5 run, capped with a jumper by Matt Shaw with 13:43 remaining in the first half.

The Falcons cut the deficit to 16-15 following a jumper by Fitzgerald with 9:04 left in the half. Montevallo took its first lead in the contest on a free throw by Fitzgerald with 3:46 remaining in the opening half, which gave the Falcons a 20-19 lead.

DeShazior knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute of the half and Troran Brown added a layup at the buzzer to send the two teams into the locker room at halftime tied at 27-27.

The Falcons opened the second half with a 10-4 run to take their largest lead in the game following a jumper by Hightower with 16:18 left , which gave Montevallo a 37-31 lead. The Hurricanes chipped away at the deficit during the next eight minutes, eventually tying the game at 50-50 on a pair of free throws by Hawkins with 7:56 left in the game.

Troran Brown gave the Falcons their final lead in the contest on a layup with 2:53 remaining, which gave Montevallo a 63-61 lead. The Hurricanes responded with a 5-0 run, capped with a free throw by Shaw, to take back momentum.

Troran Brown cut the deficit to 70-68 on a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining before Hawkins drained 1-of-2 free throws on the other end of the floor, leaving the Falcons with a three-point deficit. Brown came off a screen and launched a 30-footer that rimmed out with eight seconds left in the game.

Georgia Southwestern raced to the other end of the floor for a game-clinching dunk by Alan Arnett with four seconds remaining.

The Falcons return to action Saturday, Feb. 16 in the first ever athletic contest broadcast nationally from the University of Montevallo campus.

Montevallo will host Clayton State University in a game broadcast by CBS Sports Network. Tip off is set for 11 a.m.

General admission tickets are available for $5 each with children 12-and-under admitted free.

Fans in attendance will receive a free Montevallo men’s basketball t-shirt and other free giveaways while supplies last.