MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The Montevallo women's basketball team dropped a close contest to West Alabama, 65-59, on Saturday afternoon.

Emily Mouser led the way, as the freshman scored a career-high 23 points.

Montevallo opened the game with the first six points, as Elyse Hughes hit a jumper and Kylee Norman cashed in on a lay-in followed by a pair of free throws. The Tigers cut the Falcon run with a jumper, but an Emily Mouser lay-in gave Montevallo an, 8-2, advantage at the 6:21 mark. The Tigers responded with a pair of buckets, before Alani Owens hit a triple to put the Falcons ahead, 11-6, with 3:01 left in the opening quarter. Both teams hit a basket in the final three minutes, as the Falcons held a, 13-8, advantage at the end of the first.

The Tigers opened the second quarter with a basket, before Mouser responded with a lay-in. The Tigers scored the next five points to tie the game, 15-15, at the 6:14 mark. The Falcons regained the lead, as Susla hit a pair of baskets to put Montevallo ahead, 19-15, at the 5:00 mark. The Tigers began to push, using an 8-0 run to jump ahead, 27-19, with 2:32 left in the half. Audrey Hendrix halted the run with a three-pointer, but the Tigers would hit one final bucket to take a, 29-22, lead into the break.

Mouser continued her solid day, opening the second half with the first four UM points. Kylee Norman added a triple a few minutes later, as the Falcons cut the deficit to one point, 31-30, at the 6:41 mark. The Tigers responded with back-to-back baskets, before Hendrix nailed her second triple of the day. Both teams traded a basket, as a Norman lay-in made the score, 37-35 UWA, with 2:59 left in the third. The Tigers began to push, using a 7-0 run to pull ahead, 44-35, with 59 seconds left in the quarter. Hughes hit a free throw in the final seconds, but the Tigers would take a, 44-36, advantage into the final quarter.

The Tigers opened the fourth quarter with a triple to stretch its lead out to double digits, before Mouser responded with a lay-in. The Tigers a few more baskets early in the fourth, holding on to a, 51-40, lead at the 8:01 mark. Mouser continued to fire, hitting a pair of baskets to cut the deficit to seven. After a UWA lay-in, Olivia Johnigan cashed in from distance to make it a six-point game, 53-47, with 5:44 left in the contest. Mouser hit a pair of buckets in the following minutes, but the Tigers would stretch its lead back out to double digits, 61-51, at the 2:25 mark. The Falcons continued to fight late as baskets from Hendrix, Susla, and Hughes cut the UWA lead in half, 63-58, with 25 seconds left. Hughes hit one more free throw in the final seconds, but the Tigers would ultimately take home the, 65-59, victory

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Montevallo 59 | West Alabama 65

Records: Montevallo 3-11 (2-7 GSC) | West Alabama 6-6 (5-5 GSC)

Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, Ala.

GAME NOTES

• Montevallo shot 40.7-percent from the field, while UWA shot 50-percent from the floor.
• Emily Mouser led the way with a career-high 23 points.
• The Tigers outrebounded the Falcons 39-26.
• Both teams recorded ten assists.

UP NEXT: Montevallo returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 15, as the Falcons face Valdosta State on the road.