MONTGOMERY, Ala. –A back-and-forth affair for 39:58 came down to the final moments Friday as No. 24 Talladega downed Faulkner 81-79. Morris Dunnigan drilled the game-winner with 1.2 seconds left to lift the Tornadoes over the Eagles. 

Faulkner took the lead with 4:05 to play when Nate Bradley (SR/Concord, N.Y.)'s layup drew a goaltending call for a 73-71 lead. After Dunnigan answered with a pair of free throws to tie the game, Bradley put the Eagles up again with a shot with 3:04 to play. 

Dunnigan dropped another shot with 2:13 to play to tie it again, Milan Skundric (SR/Negotin, Serbia) hit a pair of free throws to put Faulkner up 77-75. A Ray Doby bucket tied the game with 1:15 remaining. Doby dropped another shot with 44 seconds left to put Talladega ahead again. C.J. Williamson (SO/Guntersville, Ala.) connected on a drive to tie the game again with 25 seconds left. 

Talladega started the game hot, hitting eight of its first nine shots and rushing out to a 23-10 lead with 13:10 to go in the period. From there, Skundric went to work. The Serbian senior scored 13 points over the next six minutes to help put Faulkner up 24-23. The Eagles went on a 14-0 run to take their first lead of the game. After Dunnigan briefly put Talladega ahead, Skundric made the next two shots to lead Faulkner up again. The Eagles then embarked upon an 8-0 run and carried a 42-34 lead into halftime. 

Talladega opened the second half on a 15-4 run to take the lead. The Tornadoes held that advantage until the goaltending call at the 4:05 mark. 

The Tornadoes outpaced Faulkner 35-28 in the rebounding department. The Eagles only turned the ball over seven times as compared to 17 by Talladega. The Tornadoes shot 55 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from three. Faulkner shot 43 percent from the floor and 13 percent from deep. 

Skundric led the Eagles with a career high 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Williamson had 20 points and seven boards. Doby and Dunnigan each had 20 points to lead Talladega. 

Faulkner (9-3) plays again Monday at noon when it hosts Carver Bible.