MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Di'mar Hill's career night got Faulkner close to the finish line, and the threesome of Logan Jozwiak, Lucas Luttrell and Monta Sanford helped the Eagles bust through the tape. Head coach Scott Sanderson's team got off the deck in the final minute to somehow escape with a 79-76 Southern States Athletic Conference victory here Saturday afternoon over Auburn Montgomery, sweeping the two-game season series from its crosstown rival.

The junior point guard had a career-high 34 points, added 13 rebounds and dished out five assists on an afternoon that saw him join the program's prestigious 1000-point club, yet Faulkner still trailed 76-71 when Sanderson called a timeout with 1:06 on the clock. Jozwiak, who had missed all four of his previous four shot attempts, buried a 3-pointer from the corner with 56 seconds left to play to bring the Eagles to within two. With the energetic crowd at the Physical Education Complex on its feet, the Warhawks' Tristan Harrell missed a contested 3-pointer at the 30-second mark. Hill grabbed the rebound, raced up the floor and fed Luttrell, who was fouled while converting the game-tying basket. His free throw gave Faulkner a 77-76 lead. After another AUM miss with 11 seconds to play, Sanford grabbed another rebound and, after being fouled with seven seconds left, converted both free throws for a three-point advantage. A desperation 3-point try at the buzzer by Reagan Eubanks clanged off the rim, setting off a wild celebration on the Eagles' bench.

"We kinda feel like we just stole one, but I'm really proud of our guys for keeping their heads in the game and never giving in," said Sanderson, whose team moved into third place alone in the SSAC standings with the victory. "Logan hadn't played too well up to that point, but he stepped up when we needed him. Same thing for Lucas and Monta, who both made plays that we absolutely had to have in order to win. And what can you say about Di'mar Hill. Sometimes he just leaves you shaking his head with the things he can do with the basketball around the rim. It's tough to win on the road in this league, and I'm just glad we found a way."

Jozwiak's basket resulted in his only points in the game, while Luttrell finished with only seven after missing his first six shot attempts. It was Luttrell's four-point play - a made 3-pointer while being fouled and a converted free throw - that kept Faulkner close enough for its last-minute heroics. Sanford's clutch two from the line were only his third and fourth points of the game, but they were perhaps the biggest of the afternoon. Hill, who was 13-of-17 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, complimented the efforts of his teammates in the frantic closing minute.

"That's what this team is all about," he said. "No matter how much those guys might have struggled earlier, when the game was on the line there they were ready to get it done. This win today was huge for us. Now we have to move forward and continue to work hard."

The victory moved Faulkner to 14-12 overall and 8-6 in the SSAC, while AUM dropped to 13-11 overall and 7-7 in the league.

Faulkner trailed 35-27 at halftime and was down 42-32 with 16:32 left in the game. Hill's 11 points keyed a 21-4 stretch that gave the Eagles a 53-46 edge at the 11:11 mark, and Jose Jimenez's layup with 9:43 on the clock pushed the margin to eight at 57-49. Harrell and Julius McCoy brought the Warhawks back, however. Harrell hit a trio of 3-pointers and McCoy added eight points of his own as AUM regained control. When Desmond Deramus grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback with 1:17 remaining, AUM seemed safe. Sanderson's Eagles, though, had a different idea down the stretch.

Nick Drake, Faulkner's only effective 3-point shooter for most of the afternoon, added 17 points and was the only player besides Hill to get into double figures. Faulkner shot a blistering 67 percent from the field in the second half after making just 37 percent of its shots in the first 20 minutes. The Eagles also outrebounded the Warhawks 37-32. McCoy's 16 points led AUM, which also got 15 from Harrell, 13 from Bobby Thompson and 12 from Romoane Eager.

The Eagles travel to Dalton, Ga., Thursday to face SSAC rival and defending national champion Dalton State. The game tips off at 6:30 central time.