Box Score ROME, Ga. – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team earned its first road win in conference play, defeating Shorter 53-46, Friday, to move to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the Gulf South Conference.
An 12-7 run over the final 5:01 proved to be the difference as the Falcons held off the Hawks on the road. A layup from
Tyler Moore pushed Montevallo's lead to 10, 49-39, with 2:44 remaining, capping an 8-0 run. Shorter added a handful of points down the stretch but it wasn't enough as Montevallo held on to its lead.
An explosive 12-0 run for the Falcons late in the first half, led by redshirt freshman
Jamarras McCray helped vault UM to an 11-point advantage, 30-19, at the half. After Shorter took its first lead of the game on a three-pointer, 19-18, at the 4:38 mark. McCray then ignited the Falcons' run with a three of his own and continued his scoring spurt with an ensuing layup and another three pointer to surpass his career-high.
Game Information
Score: Montevallo 53, Shorter 46
Records: Montevallo (4-6, 3-4 GSC), Shorter (3-7, 1-5)
Location: Rome, Ga. | Winthrop-King Centre
HOW IT HAPPENED
1
st | Montevallo closed the final 3:58 of the first half on a 12-0 run to lead Shorter, 30-19 at the break. A layup and another two three-pointers for McCray opened the run. Montevallo jumped in front of the Hawks early, opening on a 7-0 run following a
Braxton Bertolette three. Shorter responded on a 19-11 run over the next 11 minutes to take its first lead. There were just two lead changes and zero ties in the first half. Hot-shooting from three-point range (46.2 percent) and the floor (45.8 percent) helped loft the Falcons in front early.
2
nd | Shorter trimmed Montevallo's lead to six, 35-29 at the 14:04 mark before back-to-back three-pointers from
Jaylon Tharpe and
Austin Laatsch pushed UM's lead back to nine, 41-32. A 7-0 run and a 8:37 scoreless drought saw the Falcons' lead shortened to two 41-39. With 5:01 remaining in the contest, a layup from
Aidan Gardiner ended the drought and gave Montevallo a four-point lead, 43-39. Back-to-back buckets from Bertolette put the Falcons ahead 47-39, forcing a Shorter timeout and extending a 6-0 run.
Tyler Moore capped the 8-0 run with a layup at the 2:44 mark, pushing UM's lead to 10 over Shorter, 49-39. UM shot just 37 percent from the field and 18 percent from three in the second have but still led the entire way.
GAME NOTES
- Freshman Tyler Moore made his first career-start and dished out a team-high five assists to go along with six rebounds, two points and two steals.
- McCray scored a career-high eight points on a 12-0 run late in the first half, helping propel UM in front before the break.
- A game-high 16 points from Braxton Bertolette led UM in the win as the only Falcon in double-figures. Austin Laatsch added nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep while Aidan Gardiner and McCray each chipped in eight.
- Despite losing the battle on the boards, 28-26, and the turnover battle, 11-14, A 41.7 percent shooting night from the floor and eight made three-pointers guided UM to the win.
- Shorter held an advantage in second-chance points 7-6 and second-chance points, 10-9, while each side was even in the paint, 20-20.
Up Next: UM will return home for a non-conference contest against Point University on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m.
