MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo men's basketball team comes away with a huge win against the Mississippi College Choctaws on Saturday, Feb. 3 inside Central State Bank Arena.
 
A tightly contested first half saw the Falcons lead the whole way. Aidan came out aggressive to start the game with a lay-up then on the next possession nailing two free throws after a Choctaw foul. Montevallo pushed their hot start by going up 10-0 on MC with six consecutive points in the paint for their biggest lead of the half. Mississippi College got the offense going as they battled back to tie the game at 16-16. Tyson Sexton hit his first bucket of the game to break the tie then an Aidan Gardiner dunk set the game to a media timeout.
 
Brandon Fussell convert one of his three threes of the game to extend the Falcon lead to multiple possessions. The Choctaws would tie it up late in the first half with a lay up but a three from Tyson Sexton gave Montevallo the lead going into the break.
 
Montevallo got the second half started quick with a Brandon Fussell three then another bucket from long range from Fussell and Sexton extended the Falcon lead by 12. In the midway of the second half, Aidan Gardiner took over again with a hook shot just over a Choctaw defender and then on the next possession with a two-hand slam to go up 19.
 
It was all Falcons from there on out as the Falcons out-rebounded Mississippi College 42-32, out-assisted MC 25-9 and had more points in the paints (34-8). Montevallo ended with four players with double-digit points (Fussell, Sexton, Gardiner and Glover) and three players with seven or more rebounds (Henderson, Fussell and Sexton)
 
Game Information
 
Score: Montevallo | Mississippi College
Records: Montevallo 9-13 (8-10 GSC) | Mississippi College 11-10 (10-7 GSC)
Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, Ala.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1^st | A closely played first half saw the Falcons never trail during the first 20 minutes. Both sides were efficient from the floor as Mississippi College shot 44 percent while the Falcons shot 44.8 percent from the field. The Falcons and the Choctaws put up 10 or more three's while MC edged out the Falcons from beyond the arc with 50 percent shooting (5-10) compared to Montevallo's 36.4 percentage (4-11). MC knocked down five out of six free throws while UM shot 50 percent from the charity strip (3-6). Brandon Fussell led the Falcons with nine points while Aidan Gardiner and Cam Glover had eight a piece.
 
2^nd | Montevallo never relinquished the lead as they improved their shooting percentage from the floor to 47.2 and 6-for-14 from the three-point line. Tyson Sexton led all scorers in the second half with 12 points while Aidan Gardiner had 10. Gardiner finished with 18 points, four assists and three big time blocks. The Falcons were also a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in the second half. The Choctaws were affected by the Falcon defense as they shot 33 percent in the second half while lowering their three-point shooting percentage to 43.5 for the game.
 
GAME NOTES

• Montevallo had their most assists in a game by the team this season with 25.
• This marks the Falcons 14^th time this season having 10 or more three-pointers made.
• With today's game, Montevallo has eight games with at least 30 buckets made.
• Aidan Gardiner tied his second highest point total of the season with 18.
• Tyson Sexton set a new career-high in points with his 17 tonight.
• Cam Glover now has 19 consecutive games with 10 or more points.
• Both teams had 10 three-pointers made in the game.

 
UP NEXT
Montevallo will next travel to Rome, Ga. to take on the Shorter Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 8. Tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. CT.