MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Montevallo men's basketball is set to host West Alabama and Alabama Huntsville for the final two home games of the regular season.
 
For the first time in nearly a decade, Montevallo men's basketball is ranked in the NCAA South Region rankings as one of 10 teams from the region named in the initial release. The NCAA's first ranking features 10 teams from the region that are listed in alphabetical order to show teams in contention for a national bid. Montevallo joins Alabama Huntsville, Trevecca Nazarene, and Valdosta State as the four Gulf South Conference teams listed in the initial rankings.
 
So Far This Season…
The Falcons head into the weekend having already secured a place in the Gulf South Conference tournament, the first postseason berth since 2022-23, with a 16-8 overall record and a 12-6 mark in conference play. Montevallo went into the conference schedule with a 4-2 record in the nonconference slate before opening GSC play with a pair of home wins over Lee and Trevecca in early December. The Falcons then added road wins over Delta State and Mississippi College before topping Christian Brothers and Union to close the 2024 calendar year with a 10-2 record and a 6-0 mark in conference action. The Falcons then dropped consecutive games on the road at Auburn Montgomery and Alabama Huntsville before ending the skid with an 83-73 win over West Alabama on Jan. 11. Montevallo fell to No. 18 Valdosta State, West Florida and Trevecca before ending the three-game slip with a 58-50 win over Lee on the road on Jan. 25. Montevallo went on to take an 83-77 win over MC before dropping a Feb. 1 meeting with Delta State, 90-85. On Feb. 6, the Falcons topped Union on the road before defeating Christian Brothers, 81-70, on Feb. 8. Most recently, Montevallo defeated AUM, 78-68, on Saturday, Feb. 15.
 
The Falcons rank fifth in the GSC with an average of 78.5 points per game on a 46.6-percent clip from the floor and a 74.8-percent mark from the stripe. On the glass, Montevallo averages 35.4 rebounds per game with 11.4 offensive boards per game while dishing out 12.04 assists per game. Defensively, Montevallo ranks third in the GSC with an average of 7.92 steals per game while holding opponents to 75.1 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting.
 
 Jaylen Curry leads Montevallo with an average of 16.3 points per game on 46.3-percent shooting and 35.8 percent from deep while pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game. Brandon Fussell follows closely behind with an average of 16.1 points per game on 46.6-percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from deep while leading the team with 3.5 assists per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. Derek Moore is the third Falcon to average double digits with 14.3 points while shooting 59.3 percent from the field and leading the team with an average of 6.3 rebounds per game.
 
Scouting West Alabama: WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
West Alabama enters Thursday's meeting with a 13-12 overall record and a 9-10 mark in conference play after opening the season with a 4-2 record in nonconference play. The Tigers opened GSC action with a loss to Valdosta State before topping West Florida in early December. In a road trip, UWA topped Lee before falling to Trevecca on Dec. 14. UWA then added a pair of wins over Delta State and Mississippi College to close 2024. The Tigers fell to CBU on Jan. 2 before topping Union on Jan. 4, 77-68. The Tigers then went on a four-game losing streak before ending the skid on Jan. 27 with a 68-59 win over West Florida. UWA dropped back-to-back home games to Trevecca and Lee before defeating MC, 62-61, on Feb. 6. On Feb. 8, UWA lost to Delta State on the road before returning home for a 71-68 win over Union on Feb. 13. Most recently, UWA defeated Christian Brothers, 70-68, on Feb. 15.
 
UWA averages 69 points per game on 42.4-percent shooting and 32.8-percent from long range while shooting 73.8-percent from the stripe. The Tigers average 34.4 rebounds per game while dishing out 11.8 assists per game with just 9.5 turnovers per game. Defensively, UWA allows just 69.1 points per game on 44.6-percent shooting and 33.9 percent from deep.
 
West Alabama is led by Thaddeus Williams with an average of 15.7 points per game on 43.3-percent shooting while leading the team with 5.4 rebounds per game while Rasean Frederick scores 11.3 points on a team-high 55.8-percent from the floor. Jaylen Lemons (10.5) and Macellious Lockett (10.3) round out the Tigers' double-digit scorers.
 
Series History Against West Alabama:
Since the series began on Jan. 24, 1998, Montevallo trails in the series 16-22. Since rejoining the GSC, Montevallo is 7-9 against West Alabama with the Falcons winning the most recent matchup, 83-73, on Jan. 11, 2025.
 
Scouting Alabama Huntsville: WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
The Chargers head into the weekend with a 24-1 overall record and a 19-0 mark in conference play as the No. 3 team in the NABC Coaches Poll with UAH's lone loss coming against No. 2 Nova Southeastern on Nov. 8. UAH opened conference play with a five-point win over Trevecca before topping Valdosta State and West Florida in the opening conference weekend. The Chargers added road with over Lee on Dec. 14 before hosting MC and DSU for a pair of wins to close December. UAH opened the new year with two road wins at Union and CBU before hosting Montevallo in a 96-78 win on Jan. 9. UAH added two more home wins over AUM and UWA before travelling to West Florida for a 78-71 win on Jan. 25. The Chargers took a 97-95 overtime win over No. 11 Valdosta State on Jan. 27 before hosting Lee and TNU for a pair of home wins. UAH opened February with a win over Delta State on the road before travelling to MC for an 81-63 win on Feb. 8. Last week, UAH took down Christian Brothers on Feb. 13 before defeating Union, 88-70, on Feb. 15.
 
The Chargers lead the league with an average of 87.1 points per game on 51.7-percent shooting and 37.7 percent from long range. On the glass, UAH averages 39.3 rebounds per game while dishing out 15.8 assists per game with just 10.3 turnovers per game. Defensively, UAH allows 71.3 points per game on 41.3-percent shooting while allowing 33.1 rebounds per game.
 
Tommy Murr leads the Chargers attack with 19.4 points per game on 50.6-percent shooting while Luke Burnett ranks second with 16.2 points per game on 40.7 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from deep. Daniel Saylor leads the team on the glass with 9.4 rebounds per game while scoring 12.7 points on 72.2-percent shooting.
 
Series History Against Alabama Huntsville:
In the Falcons' Div. II history, UAH holds the series lead with a 21-16 record against the Falcons. Since rejoining the GSC ahead of the 2016-17 season, the Falcons are 3-10 against UAH with a six-game losing streak from 2018-2021. Montevallo's last win in the series came on Nov. 26, 2022, with an 89-70 Montevallo victory. Most recently, UAH defeated the Falcons, 96-78, on Jan. 9, 2025.