Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – Faulkner led for most of the game Thursday but was unable to hold on as St. Thomas pulled out a 75-69 overtime victory in the SSAC-Sun Challenge. The Eagles got jumpers game-tying jumpers from Jayden Cooper and Jonathan Garcia in the bonus but faded in the closing seconds as the No. 11 team in the country put together a 6-0 run finish the game.

The Eagles trailed 61-57 with 2:15 left in regulation when Victor Muñoz converted a layup. Following a St. Thomas turnover, Sean McCurry made the extra pass into the corner on the ensuing possession to find J.C. Norris open in the corner. Norris knocked down the catch-and-shoot three to put Faulkner up 62-61 with 1:47 left in the second half. St. Thomas had a look at it from three coming out of a timeout but missed the shot, giving the Eagles a chance to stretch the lead. Faulkner pushed the possession to the end of the shot clock before Muñoz dished off to McCurdy, who knocked down a three to make it 65-61. The Bobcats got a quick bucket on the other end to make it 65-63.

The Eagles again worked the shot clock to the its limit before having a drive attempt swatted out of bounds. Faulkner got a second put back on the shot clock and nearly got a bucket to drop to extend the lead. As the ball rimmed out, St. Thomas grabbed the rebound and ran it across halfcourt to take the timeout and set up the final sequence of regulation. Jordan Hernandez hit a fadeaway off the baseline to tie the game with 2.3 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Faulkner, which led by as many as 10 in the game, lost the rebounding battle 53-40. The Eagles were also plus-11 in second chance points and plus-five in points off turnovers.

Faulkner shot 37.1 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc in the game. The Eagles got only 11 looks at the free throw line, making five of them. St. Thomas made 18 of its 29 free throws.

Garcia topped the Eagles with 16 points. Cooper added 15 points and paced the Eagles with eight rebounds. Muñoz had 11 points and six boards.

Faulkner (1-1) faces Southeastern Friday at 5 p.m.