Box Score MONTEVALLO, Ala.  – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team defeated West Alabama 84-82 on the road, Wednesday, in a thrilling back-and-forth contest.
 
 
With 1:32 remaining in the contest, James McNeil drained a clutch three-pointer to put the Falcons up by four, 82-78. Following a bucket from the Tigers, Freshman Tyler Moore made a pair of free-throws to give the Falcons a four-point lead with 22 seconds to go, 84-80. One last defensive stance in the final seconds secured the win, 84-82.  
 
An 8-2 Montevallo run in the final 2:01 of the first half, capped with a Mason Shifflett three-pointer in the final seconds, evened the score 34-34 at the break. Montevallo led by as many as four points in the first half, 12-8, but fell behind by seven with 7:47 to go. A trio of three-pointers in the final seven minutes, including two from Shifflett, helped push the score even.
 
There was 17 lead changes and 11 ties in the game as each team led by as many as seven at some point throughout.
 
McNeil led the Falcons with 28 points on the night, one shy of his career-high, and a career-high four three-pointers. All four of McNeil's threes came in the second half.
 
With the win, Montevallo hands the second-place Gulf South Conference team its fourth league loss of the year and gives the Falcons its sixth win.
 
 
Game Information

Score: Montevallo 84, West Alabama 82
Records: Montevallo (8-9, 6-7 GSC), West Alabama 13-4 (9-4 GSC)
Location: Montevallo, Ala. | Trustmark Arena
 
 

GAME NOTES

• James McNeil led all scorers with 28 points and shot 4-of-7 from long range.
• Mason Shifflett drilled four three-pointers and scored 16 point while leading the Falcons on the boards with eight.
• Braxton Bertolette and Tyler Moore each added double-digit performances with 14 and 11, respectively.
• UWA outrebounded the Falcons 43-27 and 16-5 on the offensive glass.
• A 47.8 percent mark from three-point range (11-of-23) helped propel the Falcons to victory as UWA shot just 28 percent(7-of-25). Seven of Montevallo's 11 three points were in the second half. The Falcons shot 63.6 percent from deep in the second.
• Montevallo forced 18 Tiger turnovers and scored 20 points-from-turnovers. UWA registered 17 points form 16 UM turnovers.

Up Next: Montevallo returns to Trustmark Arena on Saturday, Jan. 14, to host West Georgia at 4 p.m.