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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The University of Montevallo Falcons had to work hard for it, but they finally got back to winning ways with a tight victory over the Lee Flames.

Montevallo defeated Lee 58-50 on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Lee University to sweep the season series between the two Gulf South Conference foes.

While the Falcons struck first off a Jaylen Curry 3-pointer, it became a half of runs from there. The Flames went on a 6-0 run to take a 6-3 lead before Montevallo responded with a 5-0 run to reclaim an 8-6 lead with 14:19 to go in the first half.

Derek Moore would then extend the Falcons lead to four with 10:39 left until halftime before Lee took a five-point lead off a 5-0 run with 5:39 remaining. Montevallo clawed back within one before the break to make the Flames halftime lead 28-27.

Just a few minutes into the second half, Curry hit another crucial 3-pointer to put the Falcons back in front. That lead grew to five after Brandon Fussell and Aidan Gardiner went on a 5-0 Montevallo run to put their side up 42-37, and Curry then put the Falcons up 44-38 with 9:41 to go.

However, everything changed in just two minutes of game time as Lee slashed the deficit to just one. Fussell wrestled back control with a deep 3-pointer, but the Flames would go on to take the lead for the first time all half at the 4:41 mark.

Now trailing 49-48, Fussell came up clutch for Montevallo again. He scored at the rim with just 1:42 left to grow the Falcons lead to six and iced the game with two free throws to seal the eight-point win and the Falcons’ first season-series sweep of Lee in their Division II history.

Fussell led Montevallo with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Curry finished with 14 points and four rebounds. Moore had nine points and seven rebounds and Camden Andrews earned eight points and three rebounds.

The Falcons improved to 12-7 overall and 8-5 in GSC play, good enough for fourth in the conference standings. They will be back in action on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. against Mississippi College at Central State Bank Arena.

As for the Montevallo women, they fell 76-53 to Lee to drop to 8-10 on the year and 6-7 in GSC play.