BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - A matchup with national attention and hype lived to its billing Friday afternoon as the Eagles (9-1) dropped a 84-82 decision to No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan (18-1) at Bowling Green High School. Down 14 with 8:59 in the second half, Faulkner mounted a 13-1 run started by a three pointer from C.J. Williamson as the Eagles brought the contest within one possession with 5:19 to play. 

"Just getting stops helped us start that run," Head Coach Scott Sanderson said. "They're probably the best offensive team we've played. They average 102 points a game and we held them to 84. That game needed to be played on the open floor for us to compete. We got a few stops in a row and knocked down a couple three's to bring us back into it."

Trading buckets for the next four minutes, Faulkner trailed by three with 55 seconds to go when Garrett Sanderson picked the pocket of NAIA DII Player of the Year Kyle Mangas to set a modern-era program record for single game steals with seven. "What Garrett lacks in strength, he makes up for in knowledge and understanding," Scott Sanderson said. "He took a few charges as well. He's in the right spots." Sanderson passed ahead to Jordan Hamlette who's layup made the score 83-82 with 49 seconds remaining. 

Trace Hill grabbed the rebound off of Mangas's miss on the ensuing possession with 39 seconds to play to set up a chance for Faulkner to take the lead. Williamson drew a foul, but missed his two free throws. Mangas missed the front end of the bonus with 24 seconds remaining. Hill's eighth board led to a timeout with 11 seconds remaining for Faulkner to draw up a play. Williamson's pass out to the left wing sailed high and out of bounds with four seconds remaining. Mangas knocked down the back end of the double bonus allowing the Eagles to run a Hail Mary that fell just shy of a shot attempt effectively ending the game. 

"To play in those types of games against those types of teams gives us a great opportunity to grow," Sanderson said. "We gave ourselves a chance to win. I'm proud of the way our guys competed. Our guys know they can play with anyone in the nation."

16 lead changes characterized the first half as both teams found their rhythm quickly on the neutral floor. The Wildcats took a 45-41 lead into the break and opened the second half on a 10-2 run with six points from Mangas, pushing the Wildcat to 3,000 career points. 

Williamson paced the five Eagles in double-figures with 24 points. Austin Rogers scored all 15 of his points in the second half. Trace Hill ended with 13 points and 8 boards, grabbing as many off the glass as his seven-foot counterpart Seth Maxwell. Hamlette finished with 11. Sanderson posted 10 and five assists. 
 
The loss marked the first Faulkner defeat since March 6, 2020 and just the second loss since 2019. The two losses were each by one possession. 

Faulkner opens SSAC play against RV Dalton State Tuesday night at 7 p.m. "They've perennially been one of the better teams in the league," Sanderson said. "They're always big, strong and physical."