MARIETTA, Ga. – No. 8 Faulkner lost its second consecutive game Thursday night as it fell 87-81 on the road against Life University. The Eagles struggled to slow down Life all night as the home team made 51.6 percent of its shots from the field in the game while also winning the rebounding battle 40-35.

Faulkner held its final lead at the 3:43 mark of the first half before a 14-4 Running Eagle run vaulted Life to a 43-35 halftime lead. Life led by as many as 12 in the second half before Faulkner began to close the gap. A pair of Jonathan Garcia three-pointers bookended around a pair of Derek Murphy triples cut the deficit to 63-61 by the 9:05 mark of the second half.

The Running Eagles got the lead back to seven before Trace Hill made a layup and Isaiah Brooks scored on a put-back to cut it to 74-70 with 3:20 left. Faulkner was unable to get any closer than four the rest of the way as it lost the first SSAC meeting in history between the two programs.

C.J. Hines topped Faulkner with 18 points while Garcia added 17. The Eagles got 16 apiece from Hill and Murphy as well as 10 from Brooks.

Faulkner (9-2, 3-2 SSAC) returns to action Saturday at noon when it hosts Dalton State.