MONTEVALLO, Ala.  – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team handed Mississippi College its second defeat of the year, 80-72, in Trustmark Arena, Friday.
 
Montevallo never trailed in the contest and earned its second conference win of the year, knocking off another top team in the Gulf South Conference.
 
An opening bucket from Aidan Gardiner 25 seconds into the game put Montevallo up 2-0, a lead they would hold the rest of the way. Another bucket from Gardiner at the 15:31 mark gave UM a nine-point advantage, 13-4, capping a 7-0 run after MC trimmed the lead to one. With 3:57 to go before half, Braxton Bertolette gave the Falcons a double-digit lead, 32-22, with a layup following a 4-0 run. After Mississippi College trimmed the lead down tow four with 5-0 run, Austin Laatsch drained a three-pointer just before halftime to give the Falcons a seven-point lead, 42-35.
 
In the second half, Montevallo continued to hold off Mississippi College. The Choctaws trimmed the lead to two, 54-52, with 14:04 to go but UM responded with an and-one layup from Bertolette to extend the lead back to five. Throughout the remainder of the second half, MC chipped away at Montevallo's lead but were never able to tie or take the lead. With 6:07 to go the Choctaws once again trimmed the lead to two but three consecutive free-throws for Tyler Moore pushed the lead to five, 71-66 at the 5:09 mark. Moore once again answered for the Falcons, extending the lead to eight, 76-68, following a layup with 3:52 remaining. Montevallo continued to hold off the Choctaws down the stretch, winning 80-72.
 
Five players scored in double-figures as Gardiner and Bertolette led the way with 17 points each.
 
Montevallo is now 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the GSC after the win. 
  
Game Information

Score: Montevallo 80 , Mississippi College 72
Records: Montevallo (3-5, 2-3 GSC), Mississippi College (6-2, 3-2)
Location: Trustmark Arena | Montevallo, Ala. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

1^st        | Montevallo shot 65.2 percent from the field and led the entire first half. A 6-of-12 shooting mark from deep helped the Falcons to a 42-35 lead at the break.
2^nd       | The Falcons cooled off in the second half but still managed to shoot 54.5 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from the field. The Choctaws shot better in the second half, shooting 58.3 percent from the floor. An advantage from beyond-the-arc helped the Falcons outscore MC 38-37 in the second.
 

GAME NOTES
 

• Five players scored in double-figures. Bertolette and Gardiner led the way with 17 as James McNeil and Mason Shifflett each chipped in 13. Tyler Moore added a career-high 12 points off the bench.
• Moore was a sparkplug for the Falcons off the bench in the second half. He scored eight of his 12 points in the second half and finished with four assists, two rebounds and six fouls drawn.
• Montevallo shot 10-of-21 from three-point range for 47.6 percent – the second-highest mark of the year. Mississippi College finished just 4-of-11 from deep.
• MC narrowly edged the Falcons, 25-24, on the boards and each team scored 10 second chance points.
• Despite turning the ball over 19 times, compared to just 15 for MC, Montevallo outscored the visitors 16-to-12 in points from turnovers.
• Montevallo finished 16-of-22 from the free-throw line while MC was 12-for-18.
• McNeil led UM with five assists and two steals.

Up Next: UM will continue a two-game home stand against Delta State on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Trustmark Arena.