FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Montevallo men's basketball season comes to an end after a 98-85 loss at No. 1 seeded Nova Southeastern on Sunday night.
 
The Falcons got out to a slow start offensively with NSU jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first three minutes of action. Derek Moore ended the run with a triple from the right wing before Brandon Fussell knocked down back-to-back threes to pull the Falcons back within one at 10-9 with 14:14 on the clock. NSU stretched the lead back to six at the 12:50 mark before Fussell added his third three to start to mark the score 17-14. Sam Duskin tied the game at 17 all with his first bucket of the night. With just over eight minutes left in the first half, a Moore finish at the rim followed by a four-point play from Fussell gave Montevallo its first lead of the night at 26-25. The Sharks regained control and pushed the lead out to eight over the next four minutes before Fussell continued his hot start from deep to end the run and make the score 37-32 with 3:52 to play. The Falcons cut it down to 39-26 with 2:53 left in the half before NSU held a seven-point lead heading into the break.
 
Out of the half, Nova Southeastern pushed its lead to 56-41 in the first three minutes with a 10-2 run. At the 15:37 mark, Tyson Sexton knocked down a triple to cut the lead down to ten before another four-point play from Fussell made the score 61-52 with 14:18 left. Just three minutes later, Nova Southeastern pushed its lead up to 18 at 74-56. Sexton scored five straight for the Falcons before the Sharks took their largest lead of the game at 84-63 with just 6:38 to play. A triple from Duskin brought the lead down to 13 with 4:02 to play but the Sharks would keep the game out of reach down the stretch to end Montevallo's season with a 98-85 loss in the NCAA South Region Semifinal.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 5 Montevallo 85 | No. 1 Nova Southeastern 98
Records: Montevallo 22-9 (17-5 GSC) | Nova Southeastern 29-1 (19-1 SSC)
Location: Rick Case Arena | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
 
GAME NOTES

• The Falcons shot 40.8 percent from the floor while adding a 34.1-percent clip from deep and 80.0 percent from the line while NSU shot 47.0 percent from the floor and added a 27-for-33 mark from the stripe.
• NSU held a slim 41-36 lead on the boards while the two sides tied with 12 offensive rebounds.
• The Sharks controlled the paint with a 36-22 lead inside while adding 22 second chance points to Montevallo's 15.
• Brandon Fussell led Montevallo with 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting with a 6-for-11 mark from deep while adding four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
• Tyson Sexton finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shoots while adding a team-high eight rebounds.
• Derek Moore and Bryant James each scored 12 points with Moore added five rebounds.
• Montevallo's season ends with the most wins in a single season since the 2014-15 season and the first NCAA Tournament win since the 2011-12 season.