MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Jonas Parker and Wade Lowman combined to score 45 points, as the Falcons of the University of Montevallo (3-2, 1-0 GSC) defeated the Statesmen of Delta State University (3-3, 0-1 GSC), 76-61, on Saturday, Nov. 23 in the Gulf South Conference opener at Trustmark Arena. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for DSU.

Parker led all scorers with 25 points with Lowman chipping in 20 points for UM. Keyshaun Street paced the Statesmen with 18 points while Airen Brooks narrowly missed a double-double with 15 points and nine boards.       

THE BASICS:
Score:  Montevallo 76 | Delta State 61
Records:  Falcons (3-2, 1-0 GSC) | Statesmen (3-2, 0-1 GSC)
Series: Delta State leads 15-4
Location | Time: Trustmark Arena | 4 PM
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Wade Lowman's six points lifted the Falcons to a 11-6 lead at the 15:26 media timeout to start the game.
• After Michael Motley's 3-pointer cut the deficit to two, 11-9, Montevallo went on a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 17-9 with 10:05 remaining in. the 1^st half.
• Back-to-back 3-pointers by Austin Laatsch got the Statesmen to within three, 20-17, with 6:58 to go.
• Montevallo closed out the half on an 18-12 run to take a 38-29 lead into the locker room. The Falcons led by as many as 13 points in the 1^st half before Will Midlick and Airen Brooks scored on back-to-back possessions before the horn.
• UM shot 55.6 percent in the 1^st half and outscored DSU 24-6 in the paint. The Statesmen connected on 40.6 percent of their shots but struggled to find an offensive rhythm.
• Jonas Parker led UM and all scorers with 12 points followed by Lowman with 10 and Romario Spence with nine.
• Laatsch led the Statesmen with nine points with Keyshaun Street adding eight points.  
• Delta State answered the bell in the 2^nd half, cutting the UM lead to 40-36 with a 7-2 run at the 16:48 mark.
• Lowman fueled a 12-0 run to put the Falcons up 16, 52-36, with 13:28 to go.
• The Statesmen managed just three field goals, including two by Brooks, over the next 4:15, as the Falcons maintained their16-point lead, 58-42, with 9:42 remaining.
• DSU used a 10-2run, including a pair of dunks by Michael Motley, to cut it to seven, 58-51, with 6:32 to play. Brooks knocked down a 3-pointer and Street added a layup off an assist from Anderson McCoy during the stretch.
• Kevin Smith's deep 3-pointer ended DSU's run and extended Montevallo's lead back to 10, 65-55, with 4:09 left on the clock.
• UM scored the next nine points over 2:05 to build its largest lead of the night, 74-55, with 2:04 to play.
• The Falcons salted away the waning moments of the contest for the 15-point, 76-61, victory.                           

 
TURNING POINT

• The Falcons used a 12-0 run from 16:38 to 12:57 in the 2^nd half to take command of the contest.

 
STAT OF THE GAME

• Montevallo outscored Delta State 46-24 in the paint.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Montevallo never trailed in the contest.
• The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Statesmen.
• Cameron Burkett and Zach Varnum were unavailable for coach Mike Nienaber due to injury.
• Delta State's loss is also the third straight year that the Statesmen have dropped their conference opener.  

 
UP NEXT

• Delta State continues its two-game road swing on Monday, Nov. 25 in Livingston, Ala., as the Statesmen take on the University of West Alabama. Tipoff if set for 7:30 PM at Pruitt Hall. Philip Tang will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 7:15 PM on WMJW 107.5 FM and online at GoStatesmen.com.