FLORENCE, S.C. – University of Montevallo senior Troran Brown led five Falcons in double figures with 23 points in a 106-101 double-overtime victory over Francis Marion University on the road in their Peach Belt Conference opener Dec. 18.
Brown, who drained a floater in the lane with 2.8 seconds left in the first overtime to extend the game, finished 6-of-14 from the floor, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and 7-of-9 at the charity stripe in the victory.
Brown also dished out a game-high 12 assists in the win.
Junior Ibrahim Johnson recorded his first double-double with the Falcons (5-6 overall, 1-0 in Peach Belt Conference) after registering 18 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. Johnson finished 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 at the free-throw line.
Seniors Shykeem Jackson and Ryan May contributed 15 points each in the victory, while mid-season transfer Bryant Orange chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and six assists in his debut with the Falcons. Orange knocked down 8-of-10 attempts at the charity stripe.
Senior Larry Slaughter added six points and six rebounds before fouling out late in the second half. Junior Kimani Key contributed six points, while freshman Parker Role finished with five points and six boards and junior Malik Fields chipped in four points.
The Falcons, who shot 48.6 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, outrebounded the Patriots 56-39 in the victory.
Montevallo led by as many as 12 points in the opening half following a layup by Role, which gave the Falcons a 32-20 advantage with 8:48 remaining in the half. Francis Marion closed the first half with a 9-2 run to trim the Falcons' lead to 45-40 at the break.
The Falcons pushed their lead back to double digits in the opening moments of the second half when May drained a 3-pointer to give Montevallo a 50-40 lead with 18:56 remaining in the game.
The Patriots chipped away at the Falcons' lead in the second half, trimming the deficit to 58-57 following a pair of free throws by Jay Alexander with 12:31 left in the game. However, a layup by Johnson moments later sparked a 11-2 run to help Montevallo extend its lead to double digits once more, 69-59.
The Falcons pushed their lead to 77-62 following a 3-pointer by Key with 7:51 remaining, but Francis Marion didn't give up in the final minutes, erasing the deficit with a 16-0 run down the stretch and eventually forcing the game into overtime. Role tied the game at 79-79 with a pair of free throws before both teams failed to score in the final 1:32.
A.J. Jackson nailed a 3-pointer with 2:39 remaining in the first overtime period to give the Patriots a 86-82 lead, but a jumper in the lane by Brown with 2.8 seconds sent the contest into double overtime tied 89-89.
Brown tied the game at 96-96 following a 3-pointer with 3:10 left in the second overtime period before his free throw with 2:37 remaining gave the Falcons the lead for good.
Dii'Jon Allen-Jordan led Francis Marion (7-2 overall, 0-1 in Peach Belt Conference) with a game-high 33 points.
The Falcons will return to action Saturday, Dec. 20 with a Peach Belt Conference contest on the road at GRU Augusta in Augusta, Ga.
Tip-off at Christenberry Fieldhouse is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern/2:30 p.m. Central.
