Falcons Dominate Columbus State to Secure Second Seed in PBC Tournament, 82-63

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MONTEVALLO, Ala. - Coming into today's game the University of Montevallo men's basketball team (21-6, 11-6 PBC) knew it needed to win and needed North Georgia College and State University to lose in order for the Falcons to host the first round game of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. With that in mind the Falcons went out and dominated Columbus State University (12-14, 6-11 PBC), 82-63. The Saints of NGCSU lost to GCSU which gave the Falcons the number two seed and UM will now host NGCSU on Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. in the first round of the PBC Tournament.

UM also honored five seniors prior to the game as they took to the floor for their final regular season game as member of the University of Montevallo men's basketball team. Jordan Hutchison (Hazel Green, Ala./Hazel Green), Gerald January (Macon, Ga./Westside), Freddy Little (Raleigh, N.C./Bunn), Mark Plaza (San Diego, Calif./Chula Vista) and Jeremy Russell (Centreville, Ala./Bibb County) were all honored in the pregame ceremony.

Little led the Falcons with 21 points off of 7-of-16 shooting. He hit five shots from downtown which gave him 152 threes for his career. That number eclipsed the mark set by Greg Brown (2005-07) who hit 151 threes during his career and held the UM NCAA record for threes in a career. Little is now just three threes away from tying the All-Time UM record for threes in a career held by Romeo Penn (1992-96) and Lewis Brooks (1984-88) who hit 155 during their careers.

January chipped in 19 points as he was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor and hit 9-of-12 free throws. Junior Tauras Dortch (Ensley, Ala./Ramsay) had 10 points while Hutchison had seven points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Plaza had six points and dished out a game-high six assists.

The Falcons shot 51.7 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from three point range compared to CSU's 44.6 percent from the floor and just 10.0 percent from three-point range.

UM outscored the Cougars 12-4 in the first five minutes of the game. The Falcons slowly built up a 15 point lead over the next eight minutes and the lead remained around the 15 point mark the rest of the half. UM took a 16 point lead into halftime 40-24.

The Falcons opened the second half with a 13-4 run which extended their lead to 25. The Cougars were able to cut that lead to just 15 with 6:42 left but that would be as close as they would get as the Falcons rolled to victory.

The Falcons will open the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Tournament at home Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. as they host North Georgia College and State University. NGCSU is 15-12 overall and 10-7 in the PBC.