Crusaders topple Eagles
Jeremy Lunn puts in two after a steal
Nov. 14, 2007
Montgomery, Ala. – The Eagles hosted their second consecutive home game of the season last night against the Crusaders of William Carey College. Though Faulkner rallied defensively in the second half the Crusaders were able to hold on for a 72-67 victory.
De Hereford drives hard and draws the foul
Head basketball coach Jim Sanderson commented before the season opener that remaining injury free would play a crucial role in the stability and overall production of the program this season. Having a healthy lineup is necessary for any team, but when your schedule is filled with high caliber opponents capable of winning in any contest, health is even more vital for success. This became resoundingly clear when the Eagles took the court against the Crusaders with three key players missing from the lineup.
Bryant Murray drives for two
Senior guard Richarde McCray and sophomore guard Josh Gholston sat out as a result of injuries and a last minute illness kept senior forward Brandon Vaughn out of the action. This undoubtedly had an impact on performance and team stragtegy, but players and coaches alike felt that the loss was the result of far more than missing athletes.
"Not having those guys hurt us depth wise," said senior guard Jeremy Lunn. "But the rest of us have to be able to step up in those situations." He added, "I think we got a little complacent. We came out flat and didn’t play 100 percent in the first half." Lunn finished the night with 11 points, six rebounds and an assist.
Jonathan Walker gets by a defender on his way to the basket
Assistant coach Sam Allan echoed Lunn’s comments. "We really didn’t come out with any fire or play with any sense of urgency in the first half." He was also quick to point out that credit shouldn’t be taken away from the William Carey program. "We didn’t match up with them defensively in the first half and they stepped up and played well," Allen added.
Faulkner was able to turn the tables in the second half producing a faster more aggressive defense that earned back to back steals for scores and had the Crusaders playing on their heals. The offense also took a turn. The Eagles shot 40 percent from the field in the first half, but generated 57 percent in the second half while taking 60 percent more shots. Meanwhile the statistics were inverted for the Crusaders. William Carey shot 59 percent from the field in the first half, but dropped to 48 percent after the break, while taking fewer shots.
"BJ" Jennings hooks around for a couple
Aarong Greenwood hits a jumper
Other Eagles leaders included senior point guard Bryant Murray who lead the team with 14 points and added six assists and two boards. Junior guard Reggie Dupree finished with 13 points.
Faulkner will host Georgetown at home on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. Georgetown is the number six seed in the NAIA preseason poll.
Fans packed the Tine Davis gym for the action
Football players go nuts after Faulkner ties the game
Frantic fans make every attempt to influence the Crusaders' free throws