The (alpha,3He-n) reaction has been investigated at 120 MeV incident energy on 64Ni, 90Zr, and 120Sn target nuclei. Neutrons in coincidence with 3He particles emitted at 0° were detected using the multidetector array EDEN, in order to get information about the decay of single-particle states embedded in the (alpha,3He) continuum. Neutron angular correlations, multiplicity values, and branching ratios to low-lying states of the final nuclei have been compared with the predictions of the statistical decay model. Evidence for a significant nonstatistical decay branch has been observed in the three nuclei below about 15 MeV excitation energy. Direct branching ratios in 91Zr deduced from this analysis are compared with the predictions of two nuclear structure models. At higher excitation energy, the decay characteristics of the (alpha,3He) continuum are shown to be mainly statistical.