Falcons Topple No. 15 Clayton State, 65-60
MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The University of Montevallo women's basketball team (14-11, 7-8 PBC) picked up one of its biggest wins of the season against 15th-ranked Clayton State University (19-6, 10-5 PBC). The Falcons used a late second-half run to take the lead and held off the Lakers in the final minutes to claim a huge 65-60 upset win. The victory also keeps the Falcons playoff hopes alive as they continue to be tied for the fourth and final spot in the Peach Belt Conference Western Division. UM also helped raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer with its Pink Zone event.
The Falcons were led by junior Tiaren Young (Forestdale, Ala./Minor) and senior Alex Sanabria (Miami, Fla./Miami). Young scored 16 points, grabbed four boards and hit 8-of-11 shots from the floor. Sanabria also scored 16 points while grabbing five boards and dishing out three assists. Junior Shan Jones (Hartselle, Ala./Hartselle) led the team in rebounding with seven while chipping in 11 points as well. Senior Amanda Scott (Cullman, Ala./West Point) scored eight points and grabbed four boards in just 12 minutes of action.
The Falcons shot 41.9 percent from the field while Clayton State shot 39.7 percent. The points were even in the paint 26-26 and even in second chance points 15-15.
The first half was back-and-forth almost the entire 20 minutes as it featured 11 lead changes and eight tied scores. The Falcons were up one with 5:00 minutes left in the half and the Lakers went on an 8-0 run to take a 32-25 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Falcons fought their way back into the game in the final minutes of the half as Sanabria hit a three with two seconds remaining to cut the deficit to just three.
Neither team scored in the opening four minutes of the second half. Once the scoring got started it was all Lakers for the first six points as they took a 43-33 lead. They held that lead for much of the second half but with 10:31 remaining and the Falcons down 47-40 UM went on a 14-2 run to take a 54-49 lead with just 4:48 left in the game. The Lakers responded with six straight points to retake the lead 55-54 with 3:19 left.
A three from freshman Trena Moore-Smith (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte) gave the Falcons a two-point lead with 2:47 left but CSU responded with a lay-up to tie the game once again with just over two minutes to play. Back-to-back jumpers from Young and junior Carrie Parrott (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Siegel) gave the Falcons a four-point cushion which proved to be the difference. The Lakers were able to get a three with 54 seconds left but UM remained in the lead thanks to their four-point advantage.
UM missed its next shot but a Parrott steal with seven seconds left sealed the game as UM hit a pair of free throws late and scored a lay-up as time expired extending their lead to five.
The Falcons return to action this Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. as they travel to Georgia College and State University. GCSU is 18-7 overall and 11-4 in the PBC.
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