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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Montevallo Falcons faced a tough test from No. 17-ranked Union and fell 106-68 on Thursday, Feb. 6, but they bounced back with a victory over the winless Christian Brothers Buccaneers to finish off the road trip north to Tennessee.

Montevallo defeated Christian Brothers 80-69 on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Canale Arena in Memphis to win a crucial Gulf South Conference game.

However, it was the Bucs who started off the game on the right foot as they took a 4-0 lead to start. Jerrilyn Richardson willed the Falcons back in front with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws.

That kicked off a frenzied stretch where the teams traded leads, but Christian Brothers went on a 9-2 run to close the quarter and took an 18-10 lead into the second quarter.

Savannah Cook looked to have Montevallo in a better spot to start the second with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit. However, the Bucs went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 27-13 before Anna Katherine Eastman broke up the run with a 3-pointer of her own.

Christian Brothers remained in control with a 30-18 lead, but the Falcons drew back within single digits thanks to six straight points inside the arc from Ramie Reid.

Richardson and Cook capitalized off the momentum shift with 3-pointers in the final minutes of the half to cut the deficit to 33-30 at the halftime break.

The Bucs responded out of the locker room by extending the lead to 37-32 but Elisa Saffold made it just a two-point game with a 3-pointer. After Christian Brothers scored again, she hit another 3-pointer to get within one, and star freshman Aubrey Sorrells gave her team its first lead since the first quarter at 40-39.

Saffold fired another deep shot to extend the lead to four before the Bucs got back within one at 50-49 with 1:11 left in the third. Christian Brothers would then draw within one again after beating the buzzer at the end of the quarter, making Montevallo’s lead 54-53.

Reid kept the Falcons in front over the next few minutes with a strong layup and a pair of free throws. However, the Bucs just wouldn’t go away and made it a 60-57 game with 5:48 remaining.

Reid continued to dominate with four-straight free throws and a jumper in the paint to extend the lead, and Lia Edwards capped off the 7-0 run to put their team up by double digits. Reid would make that lead 11 with 2:20 remaining, and that proved to be the final margin of victory even as Montevallo had to make 11 free throws in the final two minutes.

Reid led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds, and Saffold and Richardson joined her in double figures. Saffold scored 14 points and added five rebounds and Richardson earned a double-double with 11 rebounds.

Edwards and Sorrells each finished with nine points and four rebounds while Edwards added two steals to her total. Cook scored eight points and Eastman stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six assists and five rebounds to round out the offense.

With the win, Montevallo improved to 10-12 on the season and 8-9 in GSC play, good enough for a four-way tie for sixth place. The top eight teams make the GSC Championship, meaning the race for the playoffs is officially heating up.

The Falcons will return home for the first of their final three home games of the season against Auburn-Montgomery on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. as part of homecoming week.