Box Score MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner gritted out a 68-63 victory over Life University Thursday night to climb a spot in the SSAC women's basketball standings. The Lady Eagles shot a blistering 66 percent from beyond the arc in the first half with 10 makes from deep. A Keyarra Scottland iso buzzer-beater from the left wing sent Faulkner to the locker room with a 38-31 advantage.

From there, Life ratcheted up the defensive pressure and opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run to narrow the deficit to one. Faulkner found itself with a white-knuckle grip on the lead as the third period wore on. The Lady Eagles finished the frame with just two made shots from the floor and only nine points added to the scoreboard.
With 4:50 to play, Klhoe Vaughn turned a Kaci Scott pass into a layup to put Life up for the first time all night at 55-54. The lead lasted exactly 18 seconds as Nequoia Adams made a free throw to tie the game again. Kenya Robinson answered with a bucket off another Scott pass with 4:08 to go, putting Life up 57-55. With the pressure mounting, Adams took over. The senior point guard stepped into a three from the right wing and knocked it down for the 58-57 lead. Ruthie Smith followed with a layup to move it to 60-57 at the 2:36 mark. Adams then repeated the feat from deep with another make to set the lead at 63-57. The two longshots from Adams proved to be the only two made threes of the second half for Faulkner.

Life worked the game back to one possession with a 4-0 run before Adams iced it with five free throws made down the stretch. Adams scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to finish the game with a season-high 28. Smith added 21 points and eight rebounds. Scottland had 10 points.

Faulkner won the rebound battle 39-32 and shot 35.8 percent from the floor in the game and knocked down 18 of 26 free-throw attempts. The home team defense also worked on the Life attack after the Running Eagles shot 71.4 percent from the floor in the first quarter. Subsequent periods saw Life shoot 29.4, 33.3 and 40 percent, respectively.

Faulkner (11-10, 5-6 SSAC) moves to seventh place in the standings after Blue Mountain Christian lost to Loyola. The Lady Eagles sit a half game behind life as Loyola heads to Tine Davis Gymnasium Saturday for a noon tip.