#20 Falcons Survive Second Half Scare, 77-67
| FINAL | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lander (9-4, 3-3 PBC) | 32 | 35 | 67 |
| Montevallo (13-3, 4-1 PBC) | 41 | 36 | 77 |
| Montevallo, AL (BankTrust Arena) | |||
| Lander | Montevallo |
|---|---|
| Pts: Dwight Tolbert - 25 | Pts: Dj Rivera - 22 |
| Reb: Jermel Kennedy - 5 | Reb: DeMarcus Catchings - 10 |
| Ast: Corey Wright - 6 | Ast: Ryan May - 4 |
| Team Statistics | Lander | Montevallo |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 48.0% (24-50 ) | 50.9% (27-53 ) |
| Rebounds | 23 | 36 |
| Assists | 14 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 15 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 18 | 26 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 7 | 18 |
| Pts in the Paint | 24 | 34 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 8 | 4 |
| Bench Pts | 10 | 10 |
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The 20th-ranked University of Montevallo men's basketball team (13-3, 4-1 PBC) jumped all over the Bearcats of Lander University (9-4, 3-3 PBC) in the first half but a second half run kept things interesting as the Falcons survived, 77-67. Seniors D.J. Rivera (Philadelphia, Pa./Binghamton University) and DeMarcus Catchings (Arlington, Texas/Cedar Valley College) led the team with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Catchings added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Rivera led the team with four steals and added three assists.
Catchings was once again very efficient as he hit 9-of-11 shots from the field and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Freshman Ryan May (Fayetteville, N.C./Trinity Christian) added 13 points and a team-high four assists while junior Jonas Brown (Tifton, Ga./Tift County) had 11 points and four boards.
The Falcons out-rebounded the Bearcats 36-23 and took advantage of the Bearcats turnovers outscoring LU 26-18 in points off turnovers. UM shot 50.9 percent from the field while LU shot an even 48 percent. UM continued to struggle from the free throw line hitting just 68.0 percent of their shots while LU hit 73.7 percent.
UM jumped all over the Bearcats in the opening minutes as the Falcons took a 16-5 lead over the opening four minutes and had a pair of breakaway dunks. UM would lead by 10 most of the first half but a pair of free throws by the Bearcats cut the lead to 41-32 as time expired in the first half.
A 14-6 run by the Bearcats to open the second half cut UM's lead to just one point with 14:51 left in the game. LU eventually took the lead at the 12:49 mark on a pair of free throws by Dwight Tolbert. UM quickly retook the lead at the 11:13 mark on a pair of free throws by Rivera. UM would never trail again as an 8-2 run over the final 2:43 gave the Falcons a 77-67 victory.
The Falcons will return to action Thursday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. as they travel to Armstrong Atlantic State University for another Peach Belt Conference contest.
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