GAME INFORMATION

Event: Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge
Score: Benedict 86, Montevallo 74
Records: Montevallo (0-3) | Benedict 1-0
Location: Kennedy Center (Orangeburg, South Carolina)
Montevallo Starters: Jamar Gilbert (G), Chris Williams (G), Tyler Brough (G), Julio Guity (F), A.J. Luke (F)
Benedict Starters: Dimitri Cook (G), Devante Wiltshire (G), Jelani Watson-Gayle (G), Brandon Morris (F), Umar Frost (F)

GAME NOTES

• Benedict had a sizeable advantage in two categories in the contest, as the Tigers outscored the Falcons 39-22 off the bench and edged Montevallo 16-5 in points off turnovers.
• Junior Chris Williams paced the Falcons for the second time in three games after scoring 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, and a 6-of-6 performance at the charity stripe while also dishing out a team-high five assists.
• Senior Tyler Brough and junior Jeremiah Curtis contributed 10 points each, while sophomore A.J. Luke finished with eight points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
• Senior Deshawn Jones contributed four points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Freshman Alek Medenica gave Montevallo a 15-13 lead following his layup with 10:37 remaining in the opening half before Benedict responded with a 17-0 run on its way to outscoring the Falcons 29-9 the remainder of the half while building a 42-24 lead at the break.
• Benedict stretched its lead to as many as 23 points following a free throw by Brandon Morris with 17:22 remaining in the half.
• Montevallo responded with a 43-27 run down the stretch and managed to trim the deficit to single digits following a jumper by junior Chris Williams with 1:44 remaining in the game, which cut the Tigers' lead to 77-69.
• The Tigers finished 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final 1:44 to close out the victory.

TEAM LEADERS

Montevallo

Points: Chris Williams (27)
Rebounds: A.J. Luke (8)
Assists: Chris Williams (5)

Benedict

Points: Jelani Watson-Gayle (23)
Rebounds: Umar Frost (9)
Assists: Dimitri Cook (7)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Ties: 4
Lead Changes: 6
Largest Lead: Montevallo by 2 (1st-13:26) | Benedict (2nd-17:22)

UP NEXT

Montevallo will wrap up the Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge with a contest on the road Saturday, Nov. 11 at Claflin University. Tip off is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern/2:30 p.m. Central.

RECAP

Orangeburg, S.C. - The University of Montevallo men's basketball team fell to Benedict College 86-74 in the opening game of the Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge on the Claflin University campus Nov. 10.

Benedict had a sizeable advantage in two categories in the contest, as the Tigers outscored the Falcons 39-22 off the bench and edged Montevallo 16-5 in points off turnovers.

Junior Chris Williams paced the Falcons for the second time in three games after scoring 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, and a 6-of-6 performance at the charity stripe while also dishing out a team-high five assists.

Senior Tyler Brough and junior Jeremiah Curtis contributed 10 points each, while sophomore A.J. Luke finished with eight points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.

Senior Deshawn Jones contributed four points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench.

Freshman Alek Medenica gave Montevallo a 15-13 lead following his layup with 10:37 remaining in the opening half before Benedict responded with a 17-0 run on its way to outscoring the Falcons 29-9 the remainder of the half while building a 42-24 lead at the break.

Benedict stretched its lead to as many as 23 points following a free throw by Brandon Morris with 17:22 remaining in the half.

Montevallo responded with a 43-27 run down the stretch and managed to trim the deficit to single digits following a jumper by junior Chris Williams with 1:44 remaining in the game, which cut the Tigers' lead to 77-69.

The Tigers finished 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final 1:44 to close out the victory.