MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team begins a three-game road trip at West Florida, Saturday Jan. 6, before traveling to Valdosta State, Monday, Jan. 8.
 
Montevallo returned to conference play last week, following a 16-day break, and split the weekend slate. UM fell to Union 83-56 before knocking off Christian Brothers, 72-68.

The win over Christian Brothers avenged the New Year's Eve loss to Union and avoided back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
 
Since the historic win over No. 3/4 West Georgia on Dec. 15, the Falcons are 3-1 with Union being the only loss.

The Falcons continue conference play at 4-9 overall on the year and 3-6 in league action.


Game Information/Coverage

Matchup: Montevallo (4-9, 3-6 GSC) vs West Florida (3-9, 1-7 GSC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 6, 4 p.m.
Where: Pensacola, Fla. | UWF Field House


GAME NOTES

• With a win to open 2024 on Jan. 2, UM has won four of its last five year-opening games.
• The 72-68 win over Christian Brothers snapped a one-game losing skid and marked the first time this season UM avoided back-to-back losses.
• Montevallo hits the road this week with an 0-6 record away from Montevallo.
• The Falcons remain one of the fastest-paced teams in Division II with an average of 14.22 fastbreak points per game, which ranks 32nd nationally and first in the league.
• Jaylen Curry leads UM with 15.8 points per game and ranks 12th in the GSC. 

So Far This Season…
 
Montevallo (4-9, 3-6 GSC) continues 2024 with three wins over the last four games. Following four straight games at home the Falcons hit the road seeking its first away win of the season. UM is 0-5 on the road so far this year and 0-1 in neutral site contests.

The Falcons face off against West Florida to begin the road trip, seeking its first back-to-back conference win of the year.
 
Defense has been a struggle for the Falcons this season, but the unit had its best outing last time, holding Christian Brothers to a season-low 68 points.

UM's offense has been inconsistent this season but remains one of the best in the Gulf South Conference at 82.2 points per game –third in the league.
 
Montevallo continues to be one of the better three-point shooting teams across the Gulf South with nearly ten three-pointers made threes per game.
 

UM's fast-paced style of play has led to opponent turnovers and fastbreak points in abundance this season. as well. The Falcons are averaging 14.22 fastbreak points per game, ranking first in the GSC and 32^nd in Division II, while also forcing 16.7 turnovers per game which is fourth in the league.
 

Scouting West Florida:
 
West Florida welcomes Montevallo with a 3-9 overall record and a 1-8 start to conference play. The Argonauts enter the matchup on a four-game losing streak but are 2-2 at UWF Fieldhouse so far.
 
UWF's offense is scoring just 72.8 points per game this season, the second lowest average in the league, while giving up 77.6.
 
Additionally, UWF has made just 74 three-pointers this season – league-low.
 
Series History Against West Florida:
 
Montevallo is 22-10 against West Florida all-time and is 6-8 on the road in Pensacola. West Florida earned a win last time out against the Falcons on Feb. 18, 2023, on the road, 102-79. UM's last road win over West Florida was on Feb. 13, 2021, 65-60. The Falcons have dropped two straight in Pensacola.
 
Player Highlights Montevallo:
 
13 games into the year, Jaylen Curry has established himself as Montevallo's leading scorer with 15.8 points per game. The sophomore forward who joined the Falcons from Wallace State Community College this season, has scored in double-figures 10 times this season, including a career-high 32 against Lee. Curry's 32-point outing is the most points a Falcon has scored this season.

Curry is one of three Falcons averaging in double-figures this season, ahead of fellow transfers Cam Glover (14.7 ppg) and Jack Henderson (10.8 ppg). Junior Justin Graham, who tallied a career-high 31 against Clark-Atlanta and led UM with 21 in the win over West Georgia, is just behind the trio at 9.9 points per game. He added a team-high 17 in the win over CBU last time out.

In addition, Curry is UM's leading rebounder at 4.7 boards per game.

Glover, a junior transfer from Birmingham-Southern, is UM's leading sharpshooter with 2.6 three-pointers made per game. The Trussville, Alabama native has scored in double-figures a team-high 11 times this year, including a season-high 28 against Shorter. He added 16 points in the win over CBU, including 13 in the second half.

Glover also leads UM with 3.0 assists per game.
 
Player Highlights West Florida:
 
West Florida features two double-digit scorers in Xavier Washington, who leads the way with 15.6 per game, and Tautvydas Kupstas who's adding 10.3 per contest.
 
Kupstats also leads UWF from beyond the arc with 23 threes on the year at a 35.9 percent clip.
 
Washington leads the way on the rebounding side with 7.4 boards a game.
 
Sterling White III has dished out 3.0 assists per game.

Game Information/Coverage

Matchup: Montevallo (4-9, 3-6 GSC) vs Valdosta State ( 6-6, 3-5 GSC)
When: Monday, Jan. 8, 4 p.m.
Where: Valdosta State | The Complex


Scouting Valdosta State:
 
Valdosta State enters the contest coming off a win over West Florida, 82-73, last time out. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Blazers who are currently 3-5 in the GSC and 6-6 overall.
 
The Blazers are scoring 78.7 points per game this season but giving up 79.6 defensively.
 
VSU is one of the better rebounding teams in the league with 38.6 rebounds per game, which ranks third.
 


Series History Against Valdosta State:
 
VSU leads the series over Montevallo, 9-4, since 2017. The two squads split meetings last season with the road team picking up the win in each matchup. Montevallo topped VSU 94-89 in the most recent meeting, Feb. 16, 2023, in Valdosta, Georgia.
The win last season in The Complex marked the first road win for UM in the series.

Player Highlights VSU:
 
Caden Boser leads Valdosta State's offense with 14.8 points per game atop a trio of double-digit scorers.
 
Braxton Williams is adding 11.7 points per game while LaTrell Tate is chipping in 10.7 per contest.
 
Lee Fenor leads VSU in rebounds at 7.2 a game and is shooting 54.2 percent from the floor.