MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The Montevallo women's basketball team fell to Delta State, 65-49, inside of Central State Bank Arena on Thursday evening.

Elyse Hughes led the way with for the Falcons, nearly notching a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.

Julia Susla scored the first point of the day from the charity stripe, but the Falcons failed to a field goal until the 5:24 mark, as Carlyn Burdette connected from long distance, as the game sat tied at four points apiece. Susla connected on a free throw and Hughes added a lay-in in the following minutes, as the Falcons trailed by one point, 8-7, with 2:00 left in the opening quarter. Susla added a lay-in in the final minute, but the Lady Statesmen outscored the Falcons 7-2 to take a, 15-9, lead at the end of the first quarter.

After a DSU jumper opened the second quarter, Audrey Hendrix responded with a jumper of her own at 8:27. The Lady Statesmen added a pair of free throws, but the Falcons responded once again, as London Robinson cashed in on a pair of free throws and Susla drained a triple, as DSU led, 19-16, at the 6:56 mark. The Lady Statesmen began to take control, using a 10-0 run to take a, 29-16, lead and force a UM timeout with 1:56 left in the half. Hughes stopped the run with a lay-in with 40 seconds left, but a pair of DSU free throws sealed a, 31-18, advantage for the Lady Statesmen at the break.

The Lady Statesmen opened the second half with a triple, but the Falcons responded with back-to-back baskets from Hughes, as DSU led, 34-22, at the 8:18 mark. Both teams traded baskets through the next four minutes, as the Lady Statesmen held on to a, 43-28, advantage with 4:22 left in the third. The Falcons began to push, using a 10-0 run highlighted by a pair of baskets from Shalexia Little to trim the deficit to, 43-38, with 2:22 left. The Lady Statesmen ultimately took a, 48-41, lead into the final quarter.

Both teams traded a pair of baskets to open the fourth, as Carlyn Burdette drained a triple and Little added a lay-in. A free throw from Little cut the deficit back down to six points, as DSU led, 53-47, at the 6:09 mark. The Lady Statesmen scored back-to-back baskets to push the lead back to double digits, but Jerrilyn Richardson responded with a lay-in, as DSU held a, 58-49, advantage with 3:35 left in the contest. The Lady Statesmen closed the contest strong with a 7-0 run to seal a, 65-49, victory.

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Montevallo 49 | Delta State 65

Records: Montevallo 1-6 (0-3 GSC) | Delta State 5-3 (3-0 GSC)

Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, Ala.

GAME NOTES

Montevallo shot 38-percent from the field, while Delta State shot the ball at a 47.2-percent clip.

Elyse Hughes led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds.

DSU narrowly outrebounded UM 30-29.

The Falcons edged the Lady Statesmen in bench points 19-17

UP NEXT: Montevallo closes the weekend with a home contest against Mississippi College on Saturday, Dec. 13.