AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern men's basketball team gave the Peach Belt Conference West Division-leading Montevallo Falcons all they could handle on Saturday night in the Storm Dome, holding the lead with nine minutes to play, but could not hang on down the stretch in a 60-48 defeat.

Montevallo, winners of three straight, handed the Hurricanes their third-straight loss and seventh defeat in eight games.

The first half was tightly contested. Montevallo held the period's largest lead of six points on three occasions, including at the half with the score 27-21.

Neither team shot well in the opening 20 minutes as GSW held the Falcons to just 7 of 21 shooting (25.9 percent) and 2 of 8 (25.0 percent) from beyond the arc. The Hurricanes did not fare much better from the floor, finishing 7 of 20 (35.0 percent). GSW did manage to make things interesting thanks to success from the 3-point line where the Hurricanes connected on 4 of 10.

Montevallo scored the first four points of the second half, building its lead to 10 (31-21), before the Hurricanes turned the tide. Evan Mobley scored 11 points, including the final eight, during a 17-5 run that gave GSW its first lead since the score was 5-4.

After Antoine Davis tied the game at 38-38 with a pair of free throws, Matt Shaw hit a jumper to put the Blue & Gold back on top by a bucket with 9:23 remaining.

An ally-oop dunk by D.J. Rivera with 8:36 helped Montevallo regain the lead.

Mobley eventually tied the game at 43-43, but Marvin Fitzgerald sank a pair of free throws for UM at the 6:45 mark to put the Falcons ahead, this time to stay, at 45-43.

Montevallo had finished the game on a 22-8 run.

UM (18-6, 9-4 PBC) shot 35.3 percent from the field and an unimpressive 16.7 percent from 3-point land. Rivera led all scorers with 21 points, while teammates Davis, Fitzgerald and DeMarcus Catchings chipped in 11 apiece. Fitgerald added nine boards.

GSW (12-10, 3-10 PBC) was led by Mobley's 14 points. Jamon Hawkins scored 11 and Marlon Rivera added 10. The Hurricanes finished 14 of 46 (30.4 percent) from the floor and 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Montevallo dominated the glass with a 42-28 rebounding advantage and controlled the inside offensively, holding a 24-12 points in the paint advantage.

The Hurricanes host Clayton State on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Storm Dome.