GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 72, Tampa 64
Records: Montevallo (1-0) | Tampa (0-1)
Location: Trustmark Arena (Montevallo, Ala.)
Date: November 9, 2019

MONTEVALLO, Ala.  – University of Montevallo men's basketball trailed the University of Tampa 60-59 with 5:39 left in the game, but a 9-0 Falcon run turned the tide en route to a 72-64 win in the first game of the Gulf South Conference/Sunshine State Conference Challenge Saturday afternoon in Montevallo, Ala.

Needing a comeback in the season opener, Jonas Parker started the 9-0 run by hitting four free throws, bookending a solid defensive stop by the Falcons with Tampa missing two shots. On its next possession after Parker's fourth free throw made it 63-60 in favor of Montevallo, Tampa missed three shots before Ivan Smith grabbed a rebound and took it the other way for a layup to increase the Falcons' lead to 65-60.

The squads traded possessions around the under-4:00 media timeout, and Xavier Malcom split a pair of free throws ahead of Wade Lowman layup off a turnover as the Falcons completed their 9-0 run to take an eight-point advantage.

Tampa got within six points at 70-64 with 1:42 to go, but Smith nailed a jumper while Tampa had a turnover and two missed shots to seal the victory. In all, Montevallo closed the game on a 13-4 run over the last 5:39 to secure a season-opening victory.

Lowman led the Falcons with 24 points, 18 of which came in the first half. Parker was limited to two points in three minutes in the opening half, as he was limited with two fouls, but he ended the game with 16 points. Smith was scoreless in the first half and finished the game with 12 points.

Lowman turned in an impressive all-around shooting performance, going 10-for-11 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. Parker made all eight of his free throw tries.

Montevallo shot 50.0 percent from the floor (25-50), outrebounded Tampa, 34-30, and hit 78.6 percent of its free throw attempts (22-28). The Falcons did not make a three-pointer in the ballgame but had 40 points in the paint.

Jack Youmans had seven points and four steals in 21 minutes off the bench for the Falcons.

Pat Bacon led Tampa with 21 points.

Montevallo continues play in the GSC/SSC Challenge tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m., as the Falcons host Saint Leo at Trustmark Arena.

GAME NOTES

• The Montevallo win avenged a 63-61 loss at Tampa last season on November 10
• Each team had 12 turnovers in the contest, and Tampa converted 12 points off Montevallo miscues compared to 11 by the Falcons
• To help offset not making a three-pointer in the game, Montevallo was plus-14 in the paint (40-26) and plus-9 at the free throw line (22-13)
• The game featured six ties and six lead changes
• Montevallo's largest lead in the game was 10 points, coming at the 1:14 mark in the first half, and Tampa went 11-up from there until the 5:39 mark before Montevallo started its comeback

TEAM LEADERS
 
MONTEVALLO
 
Points: Wade Lowman (24), Jonas Parker (16), Ivan Smith (12)
Rebounds: Xavier Malcom (7)
Assists: Xavier Malcom (3), Wade Lowman (2), Ivan Smith (2)

TAMPA

Points: Pat Bacon (21), Vincent Biffle (8), Brent Duncan (8), Martin Lakovic (8)
Rebounds: Vincent Biffle (7)
Assists: Pat Bacon (3), Derrick Felder (3)