By Joel Sellers

Faulkner Sports Network

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Faulkner Lady Eagles were unable to capitalize on several opportunities to tie or go ahead in the closing seconds and lost a heartbreaker to Blue Mountain College 75-74 at Tine Davis Gymnasium Saturday. In a game that saw 13 lead changes and 12 ties, Faulkner took a 73-68 lead on a Channing Gafford (JR/Athens, Ala.) basket with 1:38 remaining in the contest. However, that score turned out to be Faulkner's last field goal of the day as the visiting Toppers closed the game on a 7-1 run.

Just eight seconds after Gafford's score, Emilee Murr responded with a 3-pointer. Faulkner then committed two turnovers that Jade Wells and Madison Wax turned into a pair of Blue Mountain buckets and a 75-73 lead with 33 seconds left in the game. On the ensuing possession, Ashlyn Adkins (JR/Locust Fork, Ala.) drew an Olivia Chadwell foul while driving to the hoop, but Adkins missed the second free throw attempt. With 10 seconds on the clock, Gafford drew a foul from Wax but missed both of the free throws. After this occurred, Faulkner retained possession under its own basket on two occasions, but was unable to come up with the winning shot.

The Eagles finished with 38 rebounds to the Toppers' 29, and the visitors committed 24 fouls to Faulkner's 16. However, the home team turned the ball over 21 times as compared to 18 turnovers by Blue Mountain, and the latter scored 21 points off of those miscues. Faulkner shot 41.9 percent, and only made six of 20 shots for 30 percent from 3-point range. Blue Mountain's field goal percentage, however, was 42.2 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Adkins paced Faulkner, scoring 18 points, as well as four rebounds, two blocks, three steals and three assists. Gafford was not far behind, tallying 17 points, six boards, two steals and two assists. Olivia Colson (SO/Thompson's Station, Tenn.) had 13 points and five boards while Kayla Harbin (SR/Hartselle, Ala.) grabbed seven rebounds to go with her five points. Megan Wilkinson (SO/Lumberton, Texas) came off the bench and gained 14 points and two rebounds. Murr paced Blue Mountain, racking up 26 points, 14 more than the Toppers' second-leading scorer, along with four steals and two blocks. Wells scored 12 points and eight rebounds, and Wax reeled in eight points, five rebounds, and five assists. Kandice Ricks had eight points, five boards, two steals, and five assists. Carissa Horton's six points came on two 3-pointers in the final minute of the first half. The second one occurred after Harbin hit a three with six seconds left before halftime. Horton responded with a buzzer-beater from just inside half court to make the halftime score 45-42 in Faulkner's favor, which would prove to be crucial to the outcome of the game.

The Eagles will enter their next game on a three-game losing streak, with a 14-10 overall record and 4-6 mark in the SSAC. Faulkner remains home to face Brewton-Parker for Play4Kay Night on February 6.