MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner could not find the timely bucket in a physical matchup Saturday afternoon against Mobile in a crucial matchup at the top of the SSAC standings between two teams tied for second 77-64 in the SSAC Game of the Week.

The Play4Kay day was led the entire way by the visitors despite Faulkner (13-10, 9-4 SSAC) having five shots that would have put the hosts in the lead had they fallen throughout the day, but it was not until halfway through the fourth when Nequoia Adams had a fifth foul called against her that the Rams (18-4, 10-3 SSAC) pulled away. Alanna Donaldson knocked down the pair of subsequent free throws to push it to eight and a jumper on the next possession pushed it to double figures.

Faulkner cut the deficit to five after a triple from Neely Johns and a layup from Morgan Holland with 3:29 to play and gave the Lady Eagles and the crowd smelling the potential comeback.

With just a shade under three minutes to play and the Lady Eagles down seven, a wild sequence left almost everyone in the gym befuddled as an injury substitution was granted to apparently shoot free throws for a play without a foul. After everything was sorted out and play resumed, there was still enough confusion where the new substitute for the Rams nearly knocked down a three on the Faulkner basket, but a long kind of but not really offensive rebound started a breakaway opportunity for Donaldson to ice the game away with a layup. 

"Credit goes to Mobile for the win today," Head Coach Reed Sutton said. "They played with more energy, shared the ball better, finished the fame with good execution, and made clutch shots and free throws.

Johns scored 18 to lead Faulkner offensively. Holland added 14 with a team-high eight rebounds. 

The game featured 45 fouls. "We competed hard despite foul trouble," Sutton said. "I thought Neely really played a great game today. Evaiah [Burrows] gave us a boost off the bench and played well."

"We have to learn from that game and just flush it. We are playing great basketball. It's a marathon and we are in the grind of the season. We will rest up, regroup, and try to get ready for a tough team from William Carey on Thursday." That contest will be in Hattiesburg at 5:30 p.m. for another top of the standings battle with a Crusader side that is 7-3 in SSAC play.  Read Full Article