Montevallo Ends LMU's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Run

AIKEN, S.C. - The Railsplitters and Falcons battled as closely as two teams could for the first 35 minutes on Sunday. But it was too much Orlando Brazier and ultimately too much Montevallo down the stretch as sixth-ranked and second-seeded Lincoln Memorial bowed out of the NCAA Tournament with a 98-86 loss in the semifinals of the Southeast Regional in Aiken, South Carolina.

The Railsplitters (28-3) complete their season in the semifinal round of the NCAA Southeast Regional for the third-consecutive season, but it was another banner year for Lincoln Memorial as the program set the South Atlantic Conference single-season record for wins while capturing the league's regular season and tournament titles. Montevallo (26-5), meanwhile, advances to Tuesday's regional final to take on the winner of top-seeded USC Aiken and No.4 GRU Augusta.

Sunday's bout between the nation's sixth- and 18th-ranked teams was par for the course through the first 35 minutes of action as neither the Railsplitters or the Falcons were able to grasp a lead larger than five points. The contest was poised for a dramatic finish after Luquon Choice (Laurens, SC) drained a trifecta with 5:20 left to give the Railsplitters a 78-76 lead, but Montevallo made the largest and most important run of the game over the next 3:11. The Falcons scored 10-unanswered points, capped with a Silas Mills jumper, to bulge to an 86-78 advantage.

Chance Jones (Knoxville, TN) halted the Falcon flurry with a pair of free throws in the ensuing LMU possession, but Montevallo went 12-for-14 from the charity stripe in the final 1:30 to hold off the Railsplitters.

Both the Railsplitters and Falcons blistered in the first half of play, putting on an offensive clinic for the fans in attendance at Aiken's Convocation Center. Lincoln Memorial shot 60.6 percent (20-for-33) in the first 20, while the Falcons were just off that mark with an 18-for-32 clip (56.3 percent). The Falcons held early sway, breaking a 21-21 stalemate with a bucket by Troran Brown and a three-pointer by Kimani Key. Montevallo's 26-21 cushion was its largest of the opening half.

The Railsplitters would fight back to tie the game at 26 apiece, which would be the first of six ties over the final nine minutes of the half. Montevallo's Ryan May provided the final deadlock of the half with a jumper at the 2:58 mark, but the Railsplitters bulged out to a 49-44 lead - its biggest of the contest - with a pair of Choice free throws that capped a 7-2 run. The Falcons closed the deficit to 49-46 at the break following a lay-in by Troran Brown with 53 seconds to play.

It was exactly a year ago that the Railsplitters allowed a team to shoot 50 percent or better in a game. The Falcons accomplished that very feat on Sunday, going 31-for-57 from the field for a 54.4 percent effort. Lincoln Memorial limited Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year Troran Brown to a relatively off night as he finished with 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting, but Orlando Brazier more than picked up the slack. Brazier posted a game-high 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting while adding a game-high 11 rebounds. Ryan May chipped in with 17 points bolstered by a 9-for-10 mark at the free-throw line.

After burning down the nets in the first half, the Railsplitters were handcuffed in the second frame, finishing with a 13-for-37 clip. Overall, Lincoln Memorial still managed a 47.1 percent mark.

Senior Chance Jones put on a show in his final game in a uniform for the Railsplitters, racking up 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists in just under 40 minutes of action. Jones' classmate and Southeast Region Player of the Year Vincent Bailey (Jennings, FL) added 20 points and eight rebounds with 15 of his points falling in the first half. Keenan Peterson (College Park, GA) contributed 13 points and six rebounds before fouling out, while Lorenza Ross (Savannah, GA) collected 10 points and three assists.

Turnovers proved vital as the Railsplitters committed 13 miscues that were converted into 23 points for the Falcons. Inversely, Montevallo only turned the rock over nine times and the Railsplitters scored eight points on those opportunities. Despite being outsized, the Railsplitters logged a 39-34 advantage on the glass. The Falcons posted a 32-for-40 mark at the charity stripe, while Lincoln Memorial was 13-for-18, a nearly 20-point disparity.

Seniors Vincent Bailey and Chance Jones leave Lincoln Memorial as the program's all-time winningest players as that duo racked up 106 wins with only 18 losses. Bailey and Jones have a hand in three South Atlantic Conference regular season and two tournament titles hanging in the Tex Turner Arena rafters.

- LMU media relations