Falcons Shock No. 1 Augusta State, 81-77

AIKEN, S.C. - The University of Montevallo men's basketball team (23-6) took on the top-ranked team in the country in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament this evening (March 6) and came away with a 81-77 victory. The win avenges an earlier season loss to Augusta State University (26-3) on national television. The Falcons will now take on the winner of USC Aiken and Clayton State in the championship game tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. (EST).

UM was led by junior Tauras Dortch (Ensley, Ala./Ramsay) who scored over 20 points for the third time this season as he dropped 22 on the Jaguars.

The Falcons as a team shot a season-high 65.1 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from three-point range.

"That was a heck of game," said head coach Danny Young.  "Both teams played as hard as they could. We made a lot of shots tonight and we were fortunate to come out on top."

Senior Freddy Little (Raleigh, N.C./Bunn) scored 17 points while knocking down four three pointers which gives him the All-Time lead at Montevallo in career threes. The four threes give him 157 for his career which is two better than the old mark held by Romeo Penn (1992-96) and Lewis Brooks (1984-88) who hit 155 during their careers.

Junior Cecil Coleman (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Bay Tech) had 13 points and hit 5-of-6 shots from the field while senior Gerald January (Macon, Ga./Westside) had nine points and 10 rebounds while hitting 4-of-5 shots from the floor. Senior MarkPlaza (San Diego, Calif./Chula Vista) had a game-high seven assists along with nine points.

The Jaguars took an early five-point lead, but Montevallo rallied to take a 24-23 lead on a jumper by January. The Falcon lead would swell to double figures before Montevallo left the floor at halftime with a 45-36 advantage. Montevallo shot a sizzling 70.8 percent (17-of-24) from the field over the opening 20 minutes.

The Falcons went up 54-42 following a technical foul shot with 16:25 remaining. ASU responded with a 12-0 run to tie the game. Franck Ndongo capped the run with a layup at the 11:35 mark.

With 3:08 left, the score was deadlocked at 66-66. Montevallo surged ahead 75-69 following two free throws by Plaza with 1:10 on the clock. A Ben Madgen three-pointer cut the deficit in half (75-72) with 59 ticks left. With Montevallo owning a 76-72 lead and 41 seconds remaining, Dortch went to the free throw line. He made the first shot, missed the second attempt, but grabbed his own rebound and converted the layup to put the Falcons up 79-72.

"We executed real well down the stretch," said Young. "We got out and ran tonight, and that helped us with our halfcourt offense. Augusta State is so well-coached, they play hard and that Madgen is the Player of the Year in the league for a reason."