Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 3-point shot doomed the University of Montevallo during its latest trip to Bartow Arena as the University of Alabama at Birmingham sank nine 3-point baskets en route to a 75-63 win over the Falcons.
After UAB (5-4) opened the game with a 5-0 run, Montevallo responded with its own 5-0 scoring run to tie the game at 5 at the 17:56 mark, before both teams started trading baskets. Following a brief 11-11 tie,
Xavier Malcom gave Montevallo (6-4) a 14-13 advantage with 13:39 remaining in the first half. The Falcons lead was extended to six after an
Ivan Smith jumper and a
Cedric Jackson 3-point basket. However, the Blazers answered with a 14-0 run to re-take the lead at 27-19 with 7:36 left before halftime.
The Falcons got as close as two at 27-25 over the remainder of the opening half, but UAB went on another scoring run to eventually take a 44-34 lead into the locker rooms.
UAB opened the second half with 7-0 scoring run to go up 51-34 less than four minutes into the next 20-minute period. The Blazers pushed their lead to 20 halfway through the second half, before Montevallo started chipping away over the course of the remaining 10 minutes, but were unable to any closer than 10, which came with 1:03 remaining in the game.
On the night, UAB was 9-of-18 shooting from behind the 3-point arc, which came after a 7 for 12 first half to help pace the Blazers to their halftime lead.
Ivan Smith (14), Malcom (12),
Cedric Jackson (12) and
Kevin Smith (10) all finished in double figures for Montevallo.
Ivan Smith's 14 points matched his career high, which he set against Miles College on Nov. 16.
The quartet of Falcons as well as the rest of the Montevallo men's basketball team will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 17 when they travel to Carrollton, Ga., to face the University of West Georgia in Gulf South Conference action.
