MT. VERNON, Ga. – Faulkner used its highest-scoring half of the season and strongest 20-minute performance in conference play in years to overcome a sluggish start in a 105-88 victory at Brewton-Parker Thursday night.

The Eagles proved slow getting off the deck in the first half as Brewton-Parker rushed out to an 18-point lead with 10:56 remaining until the break. The Eagles then started the comeback effort with a 9-0 run. After the Barons ran it back to a 13-point advantage with 2:54 showing on the game clock, Faulkner pieced together a 7-0 stretch to end the half and head into the locker room trailing 45-39.

When the teams emerged for the second half, Faulkner picked right back up where it had left off. The Eagles embarked on a 9-0 run in a matter of 53 seconds to tie the game at 57 with 16:02 left in the contest.  

Still, Faulkner was nowhere near finished with the scoring. After Jakari McCombs hit a shot with 14:38 left to put the Barons back on top for all of nine seconds, Garrett Sanderson (JR/Montgomery, Ala.) torched the net from deep to put Faulkner up for good. That shot ignited an 8-0 for the Eagles, who ran the lead up to 20 before the final buzzer sounded.

Faulkner shot an astounding 75.5 percent from the floor in the game including 61.1 percent from beyond the arc where it converted 11 three-pointers. The field goal percentage in the game is a modern program record and the highest since the Eagles shot 60 percent from the field against Reinhardt Feb. 2, 2006. The 75.5 percent performance from the floor also tops all of the NAIA this season in terms of single-game efficiency. Additionally, the Eagles went 77.8 percent at the free throw line.

For its part, Brewton-Parker shot 53.6 percent from the floor, 62.5 percent from three and 92.9 percent from the line. The Faulkner bench scored 51 points on the night and the Eagles assisted on 23 of 40 made baskets. Faulkner also took the rebounding battle 25-16. The teams combined for less than 20 turnovers.

Faulkner's 66-point second half marked the second time this season the squad hung more than 60 in a single period. The previous occasion came Nov. 29, 2019 against Carver Bible when a 62-point second half helped erase a 16-point deficit.

Thursday night's outburst is the first time the Eagles scored at least 60 in a half in conference play since Feb. 20, 2016 when it accomplished the feat against Middle Georgia. The last time prior that Faulkner scored 60 in one half of a conference game came March 4, 2005 against North Georgia. The win also marked the first time since Dec. 16, 2017 that the Eagles scored 100 points in an SSAC game.

Nate Bradley (SR/Concord, N.Y.) scored a career high 27 points to lead the Eagles while making all four of this three-point attempts on the night. Milan Skundric (SR/Negotin, Serbia) added 22 points, five rebounds and four assists. Jamon Moore (SR/Albany, Ga.) scored 15 points and dished five assists. Garrett Sanderson had 14 points while C.J. Williamson (SO/Guntersville, Ala.) scored 11.

Leondre Christie topped BPC with 29 points. McCombs finished with 18 while Siage Batten added 12.

Faulkner (13-3, 4-1 SSAC) returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. against Florida College.