FROM STAFF REPORTS

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of Montevallo men’s basketball team suffered its second conference loss of the season following a 82-77 setback on the road at USC Aiken in a Peach Belt Conference contest Jan. 12.

The Falcons dropped to 8-5 overall and 4-2 in Peach Belt Conference play.

Sophomore Troran Bown led Montevallo with a career-high 28 points on 10-of-24 shooting from the floor, including a 5-of-11 performance from beyond the arc. Brown, who knocked down 3-of-3 free throws, added three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Senior Drico Hightower finished 8-of-9 from the floor as he added 19 points and five rebounds. Fellow senior Marvin Fitzgerald chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds.

Sophomore Ryan May contributed 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, including a 2-of-4 performance from beyond the arc. Senior Jonas Brown finished with four points and five rebounds, while fellow senior Travis DeShazior chipped in three points and a team-high five assists off the bench.

USC Aiken opened the game with a 9-2 run before the Falcons responded with a quick 8-0 run capped with a 3-pointer by May to take their first lead of the game, 10-9, with 15:36 left in the opening half.

Montevallo led by as many as five points in the first half, the last time following a jumper by Troran Brown, which gave the Falcons a 16-11 lead with 12:49 remaining in the half.

USC Aiken carried a 36-29 lead into the locker room at halftime after Kinley Branch knocked down a pair of free throws with five seconds left in the first half.

The Pacers continued to hold onto the lead early in the second half before Montevallo used a 7-0 run, capped with a layup by Hightower, to take its first lead in the half. Hightower’s layup gave the Falcons a 50-49 advantage with 11:09 remaining in the game.

The Pacers responded with a 6-0 run to take a 55-50 lead with 9:19 left in the contest. Troran Brown drained back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to one point on two separate occasions midway through the second half, but USC Aiken a couple of long-range shots of its own in response to add to its lead and keep the Falcons at bay down the stretch.

Montevallo went on a 4-0 run, built with a pair of free throws by Jonas Brown and a layup by Troran Brown, to cut the Pacers’ lead to 70-67 with 3:46 remaining in the game. Troran Brown knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:22 left to again trim the deficit to three points, 72-69, but the Falcons couldn’t get any closer after Re’Mon Nelson drained a 3-pointer on the Pacers’ next possession to give USC Aiken the cushion it needed in the final two minutes.

The Falcons cut the deficit to 80-77 following a four-point play by Troran Brown with 24 seconds left in the game. However, the Pacers knocked down a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to clinch the victory.

Montevallo returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 16 with a trip to Americus, Ga. to face Georgia Southwestern State University in a Peach Belt Conference contest. Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.