MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner earned its sixth straight win Tuesday night 78-69 holding off a late Topper run highlighted by a clutch and-one from
Trace Hill with 1:32 to play. Hill got the layup to fall to snap a nearly eight minute drought without a field goal before stepping up to the line and draining the ensuing free throw to push the lead back up to eight.
Blue Mountain (11-9, 5-8 SSAC) responded with a pair of charity stripe conversions before the teams traded offensive fouls with one minute to go with the Eagles (18-3, 10-3 SSAC) leading 73-67. Hill drained two more free throws with 54 seconds to play but those were answered right back again.
Derek Murphy was sent to the line for four shots and connected on three in the closing sequence to assure the win.
The Eagles led by 20 with 9:21 to play and looked to be comfortably en route to its sixth consecutive win and to avenge a loss earlier this season but Blue Mountain whittled the difference to just five with 3:21 to play off a 17-2 run. Blue Mountain had two opportunities to cut it to a one possession game but missed a three and a two.
Faulkner started the game hot with the memory of the loss seven weeks ago on its minds on a 14-2 run over the first 3:29 with all five starters scoring highlighted by
Daniel Garmendia's seven points and an assist.
Hill recorded his third double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds, leading the floor on the glass.
C.J. Hines dropped his fifth 20-plus point game in the last eight with 22 to pace the scoring. Garmendia ended with 12 points, Murphy 11 and
Isaiah Brooks 10.
Faulkner maintains two losses of separation on either side of second in the SSAC standings at 10-3, a game and a half behind 11-1 Loyola and two games ahead of Mobile and Stillman who are tied at 8-5.
The Eagles travel to Brewton-Parker (5-15, 3-9 SSAC) Thursday night for another SSAC contest.
