MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner trailed by 33 with 4:02 to play in the third quarter Thursday before slicing the deficit all the way to six in a 96-90 loss to Blue Mountain. The Lady Eagles started their resurgence on a three-pointer from Ashlyn Adkins with 3:53 left in the frame. The shot ignited an 18-7 run to cap the period, leaving Faulkner down 81-59 going into the fourth.

Channing Gafford stuck a three 16 seconds into the fourth to narrow the gap to inside 20. After the Lady Toppers worked the advantage back to 21 with 7:41 to play, Faulkner went back to work. Nequoia Adams turned a Jacie Andrews pass into a bucket with 7:26 to go. Evaiah Burrows narrowed the gap to 17 with a put-back at the 6:11 mark before Channing Gafford dished to Burrows for another bucket with 5:38 left.

Charmen Taylor made a shot for Blue Mountain with 2:34 left before Faulkner made its biggest charge. Adkins knocked down a shot before Micala Fisanick assisted Adams to cut it to 93:81 with 1:54 remaining. Adams followed with another bucket to cut it to 10. Adkins parlayed an Adams pass into a bucket with 22 seconds left to cut it to nine. Adams dished off to Fisanick for another shot with 20 seconds left. Gafford knocked down a free throw with three seconds left to set the final margin.

The game got away from Faulkner initially in the first quarter when Blue Mountain ended the frame on an 18-5 run. The Lady Eagles made only three shots from the floor in the second quarter while being outscored 18-10 and heading to half down 20. The Lady Toppers opened the second half on a 26-12 stretch before Faulkner started its comeback effort.

Faulkner shot 43.8 percent from the floor in the game and 34.4 percent from three in the contest. Adkins topped all scorers with a career high 28 points. Adams added 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Burrows finished with 10 points while Gafford, Andrews and Morgan Holland had nine each.

Faulkner (8-8, 1-3 SSAC) returns to action Thursday, Jan. 13 when it hosts Middle Georgia State.