GAME INFORMATION

Event: Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic

Score: Kentucky Wesleyan 76, Montevallo 74

Records: Montevallo (0-1) | Kentucky Wesleyan (1-0)

Location: Ford Center (Evansville, Indiana)

Montevallo Starters: Deshawn Jones (G), Chris Williams (G), Tyler Brough (G), Julio Guity (F), Jeremiah Curtis (F)

Kentucky Wesleyan Starters: Rasheide Bell (G), Chandler Redix (G), Bird Caldwell (G), Dakota Quinn (F), Amir Warnock (F)

GAME NOTES

•        Kentucky Wesleyan, which entered the contest ranked No. 24 in the first National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) NCAA Division II poll, outscored Montevallo in the paint 34-24 despite the Falcons' 34-33 edge in rebounding in the season opener for both teams.
•        Junior guard Chris Williams scored a game-high 27 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the floor and 13-of-14 performance at the charity stripe in his first game with the Falcons.
•        Sophomore forward A.J. Luke added a career-high 16 points and six rebounds off the bench for Montevallo.
•        Senior guard Tyler Brough scored a career-high 13 points after shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
•        Senior forward Julio Guity grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to lead the Falcons on the boards.

HOW IT HAPPENED

•        Kentucky Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead in the opening half and led by as many as 11 points following a layup by Daniel Dzierzawski with 7:38 remaining in the half, which gave the Panthers a 27-16 advantage.
•        Chris Williams converted a three-point play with 27 seconds remaining in the first half to trim the Panthers' lead to 37-35 heading into the locker room at halftime.
•        Montevallo tied the contest at 43-43 following a layup by A.J. Luke with 15:43 remaining in the game.  
•        The Falcons took their first lead on a pair of free throws by Julio Guity midway through the second half and eventually led 49-45 after Williams knocked down a pair with 12:44 remaining in the game.
•        The Panthers used a 5-0 run over the next three minutes to regain control on a layup by Bird Cardwell with 10:04 left in the contest.
•        Kentucky Wesleyan led by as many as six points down the stretch, but the Falcons had one last chance to tie the game when Williams received the inbounds pass and went baseline-to-baseline before having his shot blocked by Dakota Quinn at the rim in the final second.

TEAM LEADERS

Montevallo

Points: Chris Williams (27)

Rebounds: Julio Guity (13)

Assists: Chris Williams/Deshawn Jones (3)

Kentucky Wesleyan

Points: Bird Caldwell (23)

Rebounds: Rasheide Bell (10)

Assists: Daniel Dzierzawski (5)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Ties: 8

Lead Changes: 2

Largest Lead: Montevallo by 4 (2nd-12:44) | Kentucky Wesleyan by 11 (1st-7:38)

UP NEXT

Montevallo will wrap up the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic with a contest against Augustana University on Saturday, Nov. 4. Tip off at the Ford Center is set for 8:30 p.m.

RECAP

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The University of Montevallo men's basketball team fell to nationally-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College 76-74 after Dakota Quinn blocked a layup attempt by the Falcons' Chris Williams in the final second in the season opener Nov. 3 for both teams at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.

Kentucky Wesleyan, which entered the contest ranked No. 24 in the first National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) NCAA Division II poll, outscored Montevallo in the paint 34-24 despite the Falcons' 34-33 edge in rebounding in the season opener for both teams.

Junior guard Chris Williams scored a game-high 27 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the floor and 13-of-14 performance at the charity stripe in his first game with the Falcons.

Sophomore forward A.J. Luke added a career-high 16 points and six rebounds off the bench for Montevallo.

Senior guard Tyler Brough scored a career-high 13 points after shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.

Senior forward Julio Guity grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to lead the Falcons on the boards.

Kentucky Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead in the opening half and led by as many as 11 points following a layup by Daniel Dzierzawski with 7:38 remaining in the half, which gave the Panthers a 27-16 advantage.

Chris Williams converted a three-point play with 27 seconds remaining in the first half to trim the Panthers' lead to 37-35 heading into the locker room at halftime.

Montevallo tied the contest at 43-43 following a layup by A.J. Luke with 15:43 remaining in the game.

The Falcons took their first lead on a pair of free throws by Julio Guity midway through the second half and eventually led 49-45 after Williams knocked down a pair with 12:44 remaining in the game.

The Panthers used a 5-0 run over the next three minutes to regain control on a layup by Bird Cardwell with 10:04 left in the contest.

Kentucky Wesleyan led by as many as six points down the stretch, but the Falcons had one last chance to tie the game when Williams received the inbounds pass and went baseline-to-baseline before having his shot blocked by Dakota Quinn at the rim in the final second.