HATTIESBURG, Miss. - This afternoon's Southern States Athletic Conference matchup between No. 19 William Carey (15-5, 9-3 SSAC) and Faulkner (13-10, 8-6 SSAC) ultimately came down to fouls and free throws with the Crusaders coming out on top 81-76 here at the Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of Southern Mississippi this afternoon.

The Eagles held a three point lead at halftime courtesy of a Logan Jozwiak 3-pointer the team's final possession of the period.

The back-and-forth battled continued in the second half with no team leading by more than a single basket until the midway marker.

Strong shooting from Troy Salvant and Leo Garrett down the stretch proved the determining factor in the outcome. The duo combined for 45 points in the outing and accounted for all but one Crusader point in the last nine minutes of play.

Di'mar Hill had another impressive game for the Eagles securing a double-double effort with 18 points and 10 assists. The senior also had four steals and rebounds.

Marquis Grays was the point leader for Faulkner with 19 and he also had five boards.

Matt Maddox and Jozwiak each had 12 points in the game and offered up seven and four rebounds, respectively.

The loss marks the team's fifth straight, all in SSAC play. The Eagles will look to snap this trend with a win over Mobile on the road next week. Tipoff in that league showdown is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7.