MARIETTA, Ga. ---- The men's basketball team wins their second-straight conference game, coming back from behind in the final minutes to pull through for a 74-69 win over the University of Pikeville Monday night in the Eagles' Nest.
 
NOTES
• Life U improves to 6-3 (2-3) on the year, while Pikeville falls to 6-8 (4-7).
• The Running Eagles continually made plays when they were most needed to come out on top in a chippy, physical contest.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS 
• Lorenzo Ferrell led the way for Life U scorers with 17 points, including an impressive 5-for-8 clip from deep. He also added in five rebounds, and two steals.
• Isaiah Hart made some huge plays down the stretch to clinch the victory for the Running Eagles, scoring 16 points to go with five boards, four assists, and three steals.
• In his second game of the season, Cam Horton put together 13 points, two rebounds, and a steal.
• James Moore played a great game down low for the Running Eagles, scoring 10 points to go with six boards and two blocks.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
• The first half stood as more of a defensive struggle, as both teams kept pressure on the ball handler, causing the teams to combine for 27 first half turnovers. Horton nailed a shot from NBA range to pull within one at 5-4, but a steal and fast break by Ferrell put the team up early 6-5.
• The teams stood at 11 all, midway through the half, but a 7-0 streak by the Bears put them up 18-11. The offenses started to come alive somewhat as the half was coming to a close. Ferrell drilled a shot from the corner in the final minute off the hands of Hart to pull the team within two at 29-27.
• Ferrell saw the offense coming alive to start the second, draining two big shots from behind the arc to start the half and give the Running Eagles a 33-32 lead. The lead expanded to 41-34 with 16:24 left when Moore emphatically stuffed a Pike shot which was followed by an acrobatic three while fading to the side by Ferrell. A nearly four-minute dry spell by Life U saw the Bears move into possession of a nearly 10-point lead.
• Jordan Hernandez came through to break the scoreless streak and get some energy back on his team's side at the 4:56 mark. Life U pulled within two of the Bears, 65-63, after Hernandez caught the ball on a fast break and tossed it up to Moore who threw down a monstrous dunk.
• Hart made multiple game breaking steals in the final two minutes to pull through for a Life U victory. His first came after with 1:24 left in play, stealing the ball under the basket which he put back up and in while drawing a foul to pull off a 3-point play and tie the game at 68-68. Another Hart steal led to Moore making a tough jump shot in the paint to take the lead, 70-68, with less than a minute in play. Hart's last steal might have been the biggest, taking the ball away with only 7.3 seconds left, which he followed with going one-for-two from the FT to nearly finish icing the game at 72-69.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Life U did not shoot as well as the Bears, hitting 22-for-58 (37.9%) from the floor as opposed to Pikeville's 25-for-50 (50%), but the Running Eagles made it to the charity stripe much more than their opponent and took advantage of that. The team went 21-for-30 (70%) from the line compared to the Bear's 14-for-21 (66.7%).
• Life U did a good job winning the rebound battle (35 to 32) and points off turnover battle (23 to 20).
 
UP NEXT 
• The men's basketball team travels to Pikeville for its next game, looking to sweep the season series Thursday, January 21 at 8 PM.