MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner built a big lead then survived a frantic Mobile comeback, escaping with a 71-64 victory here Monday night in a key Southern States Athletic Conference battle at Tine Davis Gymnasium.

A 22-point, third-quarter lead dwindled to four late in the game behind the uncanny long-range shooting from Molly Speed, who made five 3-pointers on five straight possessions. The Lady Eagles kept their composure, however, making nine-of-11 from the free-throw stripe to close the door on the Mobile comeback.

Faulkner took control in the second quarter, holding Mobile to just three points in the period en route to a 13-point lead at the half. The Lady Eagles kept command until the Lady Rams' senior sharpshooter almost single-handedly brought her team back in it.

"She's the best shooter in the league, and she showed that tonight," Faulkner head coach Reed Sutton said. "I'm so proud of our team for fighting them off and earning this key victory. We're playing our best basketball of the season right now. The focus our team had in the second quarter paved the way for the win, and this puts us back in a much better position in the league standings."

Faulkner (7-11 overall, 3-5 SSAC) won its third SSAC game in its last four tries, and is now just two games out of third place in the league standings. Mobile fell to 10-8 overall and 5-3 in the conference.

Faith LeGate had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Faulkner, while Olivia Adamson added 13 points of her own to pace the Lady Eagle effort. China Leary pitched in 10 points and Brandy Alley grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds as Sutton's team dominated the glass, outrebounding Mobile 50-28 on the night. Speed had 21 of her 26 points in the second half to lead the Lady Rams, who got 12 from Kali Koenig and 10 from Starla Daggan.

The decisive second quarter was dominated on both ends by the Lady Eagles. Smothering defensive pressure forced the Lady Rams to miss their first 12 shots of the period, while Faulkner turned aggressive on offense, with LeGate's eight points sparking the run that flipped a one-point deficit into a double-digit advantage.

Mobile's chances of a third-quarter comeback were thwarted by its inability to hit free throws, missing seven of its 10 tries in the period. The lead grew to as many as 22 before the Lady Rams began to claw back. An Erichea Barnes' 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the third quarter sent the Lady Eagles to the final quarter with a 56-37 lead, setting the stage for the frantic finish.

The Lady Eagles travel to Brunswick, Ga., Thursday afternoon to face Coastal Georgia. The SSAC game tips off at 4:30 central time.