FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team dropped a heartbreaker at Francis Marion University 74-70 in a Peach Belt Conference contest Jan. 30.

The Falcons (12-6 overall, 5-4 in Peach Belt Conference) were led by junior Miles Beatty, who scored 17 points and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Junior DeMarcus Catchings had his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Catchings also had a team-high four steals. Junior Tyrell Coleman chipped in 10 points as well.

The Patriots opened the game with a 15-5 run and never looked back. At the 7:23 mark the Falcons went on a 13-0 run to cut the Patriots’ lead to four points, but Francis Marion would not allow Montevallo to get any closer as it built the lead to 42-33 at halftime.

With 7:38 to play in the contest, a layup by Beatty cut the lead to three points before Francis Marion answered with five straight points to push the lead to eight points.

With 2:35 left in the game and the Falcons down five points, junior Ryan Westbrooks hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to three points. After a pair of empty possessions, Westbrooks was fouled again and hit two free throws to cut the lead to just one point with 1:25 to play.

Francis Marion was fouled on the next possession and hit its free throws to go back up by three points. After a missed 3-pointer by the Falcons, Francis Marion hit one of two free throws to push its lead to four points with 19 seconds left in the game.

Junior Antoine Davis was fouled as he pushed the ball up the floor and drained both of his freebies to make it a two-point game with 13 seconds left.

With six seconds left, the Falcons took a 3-pointer, which knocked off the rim and into Davis’ hands. Davis found Coleman, who took a 3-pointer while being run over by a Francis Marion defender. After a making the first free throw and missing the second attempt, Coleman purposefully missed the third attempt. The Falcons were unable to get the rebound, which sealed the game for the Patriots.