MONTEVALLO, Ala. — A short-handed University of Montevallo squad suffered an 84-55 loss to the University of West Alabama on Thursday night.

Without several players due to injury, Romario Spence earned his fifth start of the season in place of the senior with Xavier Malcom, Kevin Smith, Jonas Parker and Cedric Jackson surrounding him on the court to start the game. In total, the Falcons played only eight players, but was only Parker and Jackson who managed to surpass the double-figure plateau against the Tigers.

Parker, who scored a career-high 29 points during Montevallo's last game over the weekend, continued his productive play as the junior went for 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 8 of 9 from the free throw line, in 40 minutes of game time.

Malcom joined Parker on the court the entire time and scored eight points with six coming on two 3-point baskets. Jackson was credited with 39 minutes of game action and scored 11 points but brought down a team-high seven rebounds. Smith, Bay Ethridge and Alek Medenica combined for score 10 points throughout the 40 minutes.

Montevallo (11-7, 7-3) scored the first bucket of the game with a Malcom jumper 33 seconds into the game, but that was the last time the Falcons led as Darron Johnson sank the first of 15 made 3-point shots for West Alabama (14-4, 7-3). UM cut its deficit to 5-4 with a Smith dunk, but a quick 6-0 run made it 11-4, Tigers, at the 14:04 mark.

Parker cut it to 14-9 with a free throw, but a 9-2 UWA scoring run ballooned the Tiger lead to 23-11. Parker, again, made it a single-digit game with a dunk at the 8:27 mark, but an 21-8 West Alabama run essentially put the game away as UWA lead 47-27 at halftime.

Montevallo will return to action next Thursday, Jan. 30 when the Falcons travel to Livingston to face West Alabama at 7:30 p.m.