Late CSU Comeback Not Enough in 92-86 Loss to Montevallo

Columbus, Ga. -- Columbus State trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half to Montevallo on Wednesday and then used a furious rally late to cut the margin to five, but could get no closer as the Falcons took a 92-86 Peach Belt Conference win at the Lumpkin Center.

The Cougars fall to 10-9 overall on the season with the loss and are left fighting for their lives in the PBC West Division with a 4-6 league record. The Cougars are one game in back of Clayton State for fourth place in the division and are fighting for that fourth spot as only the top four teams in each division will advance to the PBC Tournament at season's end. Montevallo and North Georgia are tied for second in the Division with 7-3 records, trailing West leaders GCSU (10-0).

Montevallo (17-3) appeared on it way to a rout early as the Falcons built a 14-4 lead in the game's first four minutes. The lead would become 19-8 with 13:14 left after Cecil Coleman hit a pair of free-throws for UM.

CSU responded quickly and played its way back into the contest. Donta Ridley triggered a 7-0 run that pulled the Cougars within four as he hit a jumper with 13:08 left. Brandon Bland was fouled shooting a three-pointer and hit all three free tosses to cap the short run and pull the margin to 19-15 with 11:41 remaining in the period. The Cougars cut the margin to 27-25 a little over three minutes later as Bryant Thomas drilled a three-pointer with eight minutes left.

CSU would actually take a lead with 1:28 to play in the half on another Thomas triple and the lead changed hands four times in the remaining time. Montevallo got a Freddy Little three-pointer with 23 seconds left to make it 41-39 and would carry that lead into halftime.

The Falcons scored the first seven points of the second half and used an overall 21-5 run over the first five minutes to take their biggest lead at 62-44. Gerald January put an exclamation point on the run with a dunk at the 14:56 mark.

UM held the Cougars at arm's length for much of the next nine minutes before a late run made it a game. Trailing 76-62 with 13:47 left, CSU rattled off seven unanswered points as part of an 11-2 run, capped by a Darius Smith layup on which goaltending was called to make it 78-73.

Taurus Dortch sank a three-pointer to quiet the run, and the Falcons stretched the lead to 85-75 after Dortch hit a layup with 33 seconds left, but CSU did not go quietly. Lamar Williams buried a three-pointer with nine seconds left to cut the margin back to 91-86, but the Cougars could not get any closer. Demarcus Richard put the finishing touch on the Falcon win with a free-throw with nine seconds left.

Bland had the game of his career for the Cougars, hitting eight of 12 shots from the floor and going a perfect 8-8 at the free-throw line to finish with 25 points. Telesford was almost as productive, going 8-11 from the floor and 3-4 at the line to finish with 20 points. It was the first time this season CSU had a pair of 20-point scorers in a game. Telesford also grabbed nine rebounds as the Cougars held a 32-30 edge on the glass. Thomas added 16 points as he canned three triples and went 6-9 overall, and Williams finished with 10 points. CSU shot 56 percent in the first half and 52 percent in the second to finish at 53 percent overall.

Little led Montevallo with 24 points, including six three-pointers. He also grabbed seven rebounds in the game. Dortch and Coleman added 19 points each, while January collected 10. January grabbed eight boards to lead the team in that category. The Falcons shot 52 percent in the second half to finish at 49 percent overall.

CSU hits the road on Saturday for a key matchup with West Division foe North Georgia in Dahlonega. Tip-off is set for 3:30 PM.