MCKENZIE, Tenn. — The Life University men's basketball team held off a late Bethel (Tenn.) run to best the Wildcats and get the team back on the right side of the scoreboard, winning 76-74 in Crisp Arena Saturday afternoon.

Life U (6-1, 1-1 SSAC) used an efficient first half to earn a lead, but late game scares saw the Running Eagles trail at the 4:15 mark before two Nathan Presnell free throws with thirty seconds left iced the game, 76-74.

Nathan Presnell and Tylan Green scored the first seven points to jump ahead 7-4, but Bethel (5-3, 1-2 MSC) responded to take a 13-9 lead moments later. An efficient 64% from behind the arc fueled the Running Eagle offense in the first half as the team shot 7-11 from three to go ahead 43-36 heading into halftime.

At the half, Mohamed Elgohary led all scorers with 12 while Ben Underwood (2-2), Mason Barnes (2-2) and Srdjan Popovich (1-1) combined to score 17 points on 5-5 from beyond the arc. Life U's largest lead of the half was 12 points, reaching it when Elgohary nailed his second three of the half, 41-29. After the three-pointer, Bethel closed the period on a 7-2 run.

Coming out of the break, the efficiency from long-range that propelled the Running Eagles to a halftime lead stopped, as the team struggled to find the same offensive rhythm only knocking in two of their final eight attempts from deep.

Meanwhile, Bethel began to slowly chip away at the Life U. lead. The Wildcats scored the first three-pointer of the second half, slowly and steadily clawing back to narrow the Life U. lead to a lone point at the 11-minute mark. 

With just under eight minutes and a one-point Life U. lead, the Wildcats earned two free throws to give them a chance to take the lead. A split at the line tied the contest at 65-all for the first tie of the second half. The Running Eagles responded with a jumper from Tylan Green before a solid 2-2 from the line for Bethel knotted both teams again at 67.

Headed down the stretch, the two teams continued to trade blows over the final few minutes as Life U. struggled to create any separation from the Mid-South opponent. With 4:15 to play, Bethel pulled ahead by a single point, taking the lead for the first time in over 20 minutes of play.  After working all half to gain the lead, Bethel went cold down after going ahead, shooting 1-2 from the field and an abysmal 2-9 from the line in the final four minutes of play. The Running Eagles tightened up their defense to force a turnover in the final possession of the game, but it was two Nathan Presnell free throws that confirmed the win for the Running Eagles.

With 0:37 on the clock, the junior from Hiram, Georgia knocked down both free throws to gain the lead moments before Tylan Green's steal confirmed Life University's final cushion in the thrilling contest.

Up next, the Running Eagles will travel to Cochran, Georgia to face Middle Georgia on Tuesday at 7:30 PM.