MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team earned its third consecutive win to move to 7-10 overall and 6-7 in the Gulf South Conference, Wednesday, with a 77-65 win over West Alabama.
 
Following a three-game road stint UM returned home to newly named Central State Bank Arena and continued its offense hot streak by tying the season-high in three-pointers with 16 while shooting a staggering 55.2 percent from long range.
 
Montevallo's success can be attributed not only to its offensive effort but defensive as well. The Falcons held UWA to just 65 points and below 40 percent shooting from the floor, marking a season-best in points allowed.
 
Freshman Brandon Fussell continued as a focal point in UM's offense as he led the team with 27 points, five assists, and four rebounds.
 
West Alabama led by as many as nine points in the first half, 18-9, before a 10-0 run put UM in front for the first time, 19-18, following a three-pointer from Jack Henderson at the 9:07 mark. With 4:50 to go in the half, the Tigers continued to connect from deep and pushed their lead back to seven, 31-24. An ensuing three-pointer from Fussel ignited a 13-5 run that would give re-take the lead for UM. With 26.1 seconds to go before halftime, Cam Glover drilled Montevallo's ninth three of the first half to put the Falcons up 37-36 at the break.
 
Montevallo picked up where they left off to begin the second half as Aidan Gardiner, Fussell, and Glover scored consecutive buckets to push the lead to six, 44-28, just over two minutes in. With 14:06 to go in the game, Fussell scored a fastbreak layup to begin what would be a 14-6 run-over the next six minutes. A layup from Henderson at the 8:18 mark capped the run and gave the Falcons a 64-50 advantage. With under five minutes to play, Glover gave UM its largest lead of the game, 73-55, from the free-throw line. The Trussville, Alabama native contributed six of UM's nine points during the 9-5 run. Montevallo would hold off the in-state rivals the rest of the way, winning 77-65.
 
For the second straight game, Montevallo's starting unit combined for all points as three scored in double-figures. Fussell's 27 led the way, followed by 19 from Henderson and 14 from Glover.
 
 
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 77 | West Alabama 65
Records: Montevallo 7-10 (6-7 GSC) | UWA 12-5 (9-4 GSC)
Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, AL
 
 1^st | The first half featured three ties and two lead changes. West Alabama led by as many as nine in the first half. Montevallo's biggest lead was just one point, which came first from a Jack Henderson three-pointer at the 9:07 mark, 19-18. Cam Glover gave UM its second one-point lead, 37-36, just 26 seconds before halftime. Both teams combined for 18 three-pointers in the first half. A 53.8 shooting percentage from the floor gave UM a narrow edge at the break.

2^nd | The Falcons outscored UWA 40-29 in the second half and led by as many as 18. West Alabama got cold in the second half as they shot 3-of-12 from deep and just 10-of-31 from the floor in the final 20 minutes. Montevallo's offense continued to click and gave the offense its largest lead of 18 with under five to play following a string of three-pointers. UM's deep attack stayed relentless in the second half by going 7-of-13 from downtown.
 
 
GAME NOTES

• Montevallo earned its third-straight win for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
• The Falcons tied their season-high with 16 made three-pointers and shot at a season-high 55.2 percent from long range. Additionally, the 16 three-pointers made is tied for the fifth-most in a single game in Division II program history.
• Montevallo shot 54 percent from the floor for the second-highest mark this season.
• Montevallo's defense turned in its best performance of the season by holding UWA to just 65 points for a season-low in points allowed.
• The Falcons held UWA to just 39.7 shooting from the floor, a season-low defensively.
• Brandon Fussell led the Falcons with 27 points for his third 20-plus point game of the year while shooting 64 percent from the floor (9-of-14) and 87.5 percent from three-point range (7-of-8).
• Fussell's 7-of-8 mark from deep is tied with the most made three-pointers by a Falcon this season.
• The 87.5 three-point percentage for Fussell is tied for fifth for a single game in Division II program history.
• West Alabama held an advantage on the boards 31-26, including a 14-6 mark on the offensive glass.
• Both sides contributed 14 turnovers in the contest, but UWA edged the Falcons 16-12 in points-from-turnovers.
• Fussell led UM with five assists as the team finished with 20 on the night.
• Aiddan Gardiner led Montevallo in rebounds for the third straight game with six.
• Montevallo is now 5-2 when leading at halftime.
• Since returning to the GSC in 2017, tonight's win marks the first time in the series between Montevallo and West Alabama that the home team has won both matchups in the same season.

 
 
UP NEXT: Montevallo will travel to West Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m., in Carrollton, Georgia.