MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – After trailing almost the entire game the University of Montevallo men's basketball team (11-4, 4-2 PBC) used a late run to send its Peach Belt Conference contest with Georgia College and State University (9-6, 3-4 PBC) into overtime and then hit key baskets in the extra period to come away with a 80-79 victory. Junior DeMarcus Catchings (Arlington, Texas/Arlington) led the Falcons with a career-high 22 points and eight rebounds. He was nearly perfect from the field as he hit 9-of-11 shots and sunk four of his five free throw attempts.
Senior Ronald Severtsgaard (East Moline, Ill./United Township) added 16 points and eight rebounds while hitting 5-of-7 shots from the floor. Junior Antoine Davis (Washington, D.C./M.M. Washington) had 12 points, eight rebounds and a team-high six assists. Junior Tyrone Gordon (Milwaukee, Wisc./Pope Pius XI) added 12 points, a team-high five steals and four assists.
The final Falcon in double-figures was sophomore Jonas Brown (Tifton, Ga./Tift County) who scored 11 points including a team-high three three-pointers.
UM had its third-highest field goal percentage of the season as the Falcons hot 54.7 percent of their shots. GCSU also had a strong offensive game as the Bobcats hit 52.5 percent of their shots.
The Falcons trailed 45-33 at halftime after GCSU hit 64 percent of its shots in the first stanza. With 10:34 left in the second period and the Falcons trailing by 10 UM began its comeback. A 6-0 run cut the Bobcats lead to just four with 7:30 remaining in regulation. Both teams traded a few baskets and then with 4:15 left in the period Davis drained a three-pointer to cut the Bobcats lead to just one.
A free throw put the Bobcats back up by two with 3:58 left. UM then fed the ball to Severtsgaard who was fouled. He knocked down a pair of free throws to finally tie the game at 69. After both teams traded baskets a Catching slay-up with 1:32 left on the clock gave UM its first lead since the 12:10 mark of the first half. A free throw and a jumper gave the Bobcats a one-point lead but with 38 seconds left in the game Severtsgaard was fouled again. He knocked down one of the two attempts to tie the game at 74. Tyrone Gordon stole the ball on the Bobcats final possession of the half which sent the game into overtime.
GCSU won the jump ball in overtime and immediately took a two-point lead off a lay-up. UM answered with a jumper from Gordon. A missed jumped by the Bobcats allowed Severtsgaard to pick up the rebound and fouled which sent him to the line once again. He knocked down one of the two attempts which gave UM a 77-76 lead. The Bobcats once again answered with a jumper which gave them back the lead but the final nail in the coffin came at the 1:57 mark as Jonas Brown hot a three-pointer to give the Falcons a 80-78 lead.
Both teams missed a number of shots down the stretch including numerous free throws as only one point was scored in the final 1:50 of the game. GCSU hit a free throw with four seconds on the clock to cut the Falcons lead to just one. UM missed a pair of free throws which gave the Bobcats one last shot but a half court attempt fell short as the Falcons came away with a 80-79 win.
UM will return to action Monday, Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. as the Falcons travel to Peach Belt Conference rival North Georgia College and State University.
