The matchup of top-10 teams lived up to the billing, but Dalton State came out on the wrong end as #8 Faulkner (Ala.) defended home turf with a 100-97 victory over #4 Dalton State at Tine Davis Gymnasium in Montgomery, Ala. on Thursday night. The loss is the Roadrunners' first on the road this season.
Faulkner got the first bucket of the game, but Dalton State pulled out a 9-5 lead after a Dauson Womack field goal with 17:50 left to play in the half.
The Eagles battled back and took the lead (11-9) with a 6-0 run.
A free throw by Milan Skundric just shy of the midway point increased the Eagle lead to seven (28-21).
C.J.
Perry called the bank for a late night deposit, sinking a three off the glass to cut the deficit to two (30-28) with 7:34 on the clock.
The next five minutes of play belonged to Faulkner as they outscored the Birds 17-7 to take a 12-point lead, 47-35.
DS worked to cut the lead to five, but Jacob Spence got loose in the paint in the final seconds to give Faulkner a 51-44 lead at the half.
Dalton State set a blistering pace out of the break, opening the second period with a 22-10 run to take a seven-point lead (68-61) just past the five-minute mark.
Faulkner answered back with a 14-4 run of their own to regain the lead, 75-72, with 10:38 on the clock.
For the next seven minutes of play, the lead swapped hands five times.
With 3:49 left to play, C.J. Williamson hit a fast break bucket to give Faulkner the lead for the final time.
Skunkric would hit a clutch three with 1:34 remaining to double an already slim lead for the Eagles (98-92).
The Roadrunners got a good chance to tie the game with 10 ticks left when Rodley Adjei drew a foul in the act of shooting a three-ball. Adjei missed the first two and made the last as the score stood at 99-97.
An ensuing foul sent Skundric to the line to ice it. He hit the first attempt, but a lane violation negated the second shot as the lead remained three, 100-97.
Perry got a solid look to tie it up as the clock ran out, but it clanked off the iron with the Eagles hanging on for the victory.
Dalton State (Ga.) falls to (26-3 overall, 14-3 SSAC) with the loss, while #8 Faulkner (Ala.) improves to (25-3 overall, 16-1 SSAC) with the win. The Eagles wrap up the SSAC regular season title, with the Roadrunners the as the runner-up.
Randy Bell led the Birds with 19 points. Kevon Tucker had 18 points, with Dauson Womack collecting a double-double with 17 points and 13 boards. Rodley Adjei (15) and C.J. Perry (13) also scored in double-figures for the Roadrunners. Igor Stokic came up one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
C.J. Williamson and Nate Bradley each had 21 points for the Eagles. Eleven of Williamson's points came from the charity stripe, while Bradley knocked down 4-of-5 attempts from behind the arc. C.J. Jones and Milan Skundric each had 16 points, with Garrett Sanderson pitching in 10 points.
When you look at the stat sheet, you wonder how the Roadrunners lost. They held the edge on the glass (36-32) and in the paint (42-36). From the field, the Roadrunners were 33-for-64 (51.6%) and 9-for-17 (52.9 %) from distance.
In comparison, Faulkner hit one more field goal (34) and two more triples (11). The Eagles shot at a 48.6% clip from the floor and 47.8% from deep.
Keeping with the theme, the Roadrunners were 22-for-29 (75.9%) from the charity stripe, while the Eagles were 21-for-30 (70%). Second chance points were equal at 12-12 and the Roadrunners took a one-point advantage from the bench (30-29).
The one statistical category where Faulkner held a distinct advantage was in points off turnovers where they outscored Dalton State 12-3. The Roadrunners committed 13 turnovers to 10 for the Eagles.
Dalton State will stay on the road and look to avenge an early season loss to Middle Georgia State when they travel to Cochran to visit the Knights on Saturday, February 29. Tip-Off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.