FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team picked up a much needed 73-67 win over the University of South Carolina in Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference contest Feb. 10.

The Falcons shot a sizzling 51 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent from 3-point range, and out-rebounded the Pacers 34-22.

Montevallo (14-7 overall, 7-5 in Peach Belt Conference) was paced by junior Jervan Jackson, who scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Junior Ryan Westbrooks scored 13 points and was a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Junior Antoine Davis had 12 points, four assists and two steals in the contest.

The final Montevallo player in double digits was junior DeMarcus Catchings, who had 10 points and was a perfect 4-of-4 at the free-throw line.

Montevallo opened the game on a 9-1 run before USC-Aiken knocked down a 3-pointer with 15:26 left in the first half to snap the Falcons’ early game spurt.

The Falcons extended their lead to as many as 16 points in the first half, but USC-Aiken battled back to within seven points during the final minutes of the opening half.

Montevallo entered the halftime break with a 35-27 lead.

USC-Aiken roared out of the halftime break by scoring eight consecutive points to tie the game at 35-35 early in the second half. All eight of the points in the 8-0 Pacer run were scored by Byron Faison, who knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers before hitting a jumper from the left baseline at the shot clock buzzer with 17:15 left in the second half.

After a Montevallo layup, the Pacers hit a 3-pointer to take their first lead of the game at 38-37 with just more than 15 minutes to go in the final half of action.

The Pacers, behind the shooting of Faison, pushed their lead to six points at 50-44 with just under 11 minutes left in the contest.

Montevallo finally regained the lead with a 9-0 run, sparked by a Catchings dunk, with just over three minutes left in the game.