JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Montevallo women's basketball fell to Jacksonville State, 85-55, in an exhibition contest at Jacksonville State.
 
The Falcons fell behind to start the game with an opening three-pointer from Jacksonville State less than a minute into the contest but Montevallo rallied back to take a 5-4 lead at the 7:22 mark following a three from freshman Cali Smallwood. Head Coach Olivia Chapman's squad extended its lead to four halfway through the quarter with a Leisha Steger shot from deep. Montevallo's defense held the Gamecocks to a scoreless 1:46 to close the quarter with JSU in front 17-15.
 
Montevallo opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run to regain control 20-17 at the 9:14 mark in the second. Both sides locked down the both offenses for the next three minutes with Marisa Snodgrass breaking the ice with a transition three to take a 23-19 lead. The rest of the Falcons' first-half points came at the charity stripe minus a layup from Steger to close the quarter with Montevallo trailing 30-29 at the half.
 
The second half saw six lead changes in the first two and a half minutes with Montevallo's Isabel Grimes scoring the first points of the half. A pair of Snodgrass free throws knotted the game at 37-37 with 6:20 remaining before Grimes lifted the Falcons to a three-point advantage moments later. JSU would close the quarter on an 11-2 run, leaving the Falcons in a 52-44 hole heading into the final stanza.
 
Jacksonville State kept its momentum heading into the fourth quarter with a 17-0 run in the final quarter's first five minutes. A pair of Steger free throws ended the Gamecock's run before JSU scored back-to-back buckets. The Falcons defense struggled to handle the size of JSU in the final minutes, falling 85-55 to a Div. I opponent in an exhibition.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 55 | Jacksonville State 85
Records: Montevallo 0-0 | Jacksonville State 0-0
Location: Pete Mathews Coliseum | Jacksonville, Ala.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1^ST | Falcons open the game in a hole but battle back with five points from freshman forward Cali Smallwood and four points from veteran guard A.K. Eastman.
2^ND | Montevallo opens the second on a 5-0 run with eight points from Snodgrass and five from Steger sending the Falcons into the half trailing by one.
3^RD | The second half began with six lead changes inside the first 90 seconds. Jacksonville State would find its footing to close the quarter on an 11-2 run.
4^TH | Montevallo struggled to handle the size of JSU for four quarters, falling 85-55.
 
GAME NOTES

• JSU shot 47 percent from the floor with Montevallo shooting 37 percent on 18-of-49 shooting from the floor.
• The Falcons were outrebounded 46-26 with JSU scoring 18 second chance points to Montevallo's five.
• JSU controlled the paint with 40 points to Montevallo's 18.