GAME INFORMATION

Event: Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge
Score: Montevallo 61, Claflin 52
Records: Montevallo (1-3) | Claflin (1-1)
Location: Kennedy Center (Orangeburg, South Carolina)
Montevallo Starters: Jamar Gilbert (G), Chris Williams (G), Jamaar Taylor (G), Julio Guity (F), A.J. Luke (F)
Claflin Starters: Benjamin Williams (G), Austin Lawton (G), Timothy Christian (G), Triston Thompson (F), Jaleel Charles (F)

GAME NOTES

• The Falcons picked up their first win of the season after senior Jamaar Taylor scored a game-high 20 points in the victory, finishing 5-17 from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc while knocking down 7-of-7 free throws.
• Montevallo shot 81.5 percent (22-of-27) from the free-throw line in the win, while Claflin finished 13-of-20 at the charity stripe and shot just 65 percent from the line.
• Senior Deshawn Jones added 12 points after shooting 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.
• Senior Julio Guity added eight points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
• Junior Jamar Gilbert finished with a team-high three assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Claflin opened the contest with a 9-0 run before eventually leading by double digits following a 3-pointer by Jordan Jones with 6:51 left in the first half, which gave the Panthers a 21-10 advantage.
• The Falcons closed the opening half on a 14-5 run and temporarily took a 24-23 on a pair of free throws by Jamaar Taylor with 59 seconds remaining before Jaleel Charles converted a three-point play in the final minute to give Claflin a 26-24 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.
• Claflin stretched its lead to five points early in the second half before Montevallo went on a 23-10 run, capped with a jumper by junior Chris Williams, and took a 49-41 lead with 8:40 remaining in the contest.
• The Falcons managed to extend the lead to double digits in the final minute following a pair of free throws by senior Julio Guity to secure the 61-52 victory.

TEAM LEADERS

Montevallo

Points: Jamaar Taylor (20)
Rebounds: Julio Guity (8)
Assists: Jamar Gilbert (3)

Claflin

Points: Jaleel Charles (16)
Rebounds: Jaleel Charles (8)
Assists: Tyler Thompson (4)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Ties: 1
Lead Changes: 3
Largest Lead: Montevallo by 11 (2nd-00:36) | Claflin by 11 (1st-7:39)

UP NEXT

Montevallo will face Columbus State University in the opening game of the Rams Rising Tournament on Friday, Nov. 17 on the Albany State University campus in Albany, Georgia.

RECAP

Orangeburg, S.C. - The University of Montevallo men's basketball team defeated host Claflin University 61-52 to pick up its first win of the season Nov. 11 in the Gulf South Conference-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Challenge.

The Falcons picked up their first win of the season after senior Jamaar Taylor scored a game-high 20 points in the victory, finishing 5-17 from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc while knocking down 7-of-7 free throws.

Montevallo shot 81.5 percent (22-of-27) from the free-throw line in the win, while Claflin finished 13-of-20 at the charity stripe and shot just 65 percent from the line.

Senior Deshawn Jones added 12 points after shooting 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Senior Julio Guity added eight points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Junior Jamar Gilbert finished with a team-high three assists.

Claflin opened the contest with a 9-0 run before eventually leading by double digits following a 3-pointer by Jordan Jones with 6:51 left in the first half, which gave the Panthers a 21-10 advantage.

The Falcons closed the opening half on a 14-5 run and temporarily took a 24-23 on a pair of free throws by Jamaar Taylor with 59 seconds remaining before Jaleel Charles converted a three-point play in the final minute to give Claflin a 26-24 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.

Claflin stretched its lead to five points early in the second half before Montevallo went on a 23-10 run, capped with a jumper by junior Chris Williams, and took a 49-41 lead with 8:40 remaining in the contest.

The Falcons managed to extend the lead to double digits in the final minute following a pair of free throws by senior Julio Guity to secure the 61-52 victory.