LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Johnny Stallworth and Domonique Alexander hit career highs as West Alabama fell to Christian Brothers 76-74 in a Gulf South Conference men's basketball overtime thriller at Pruitt Hall on Thursday.
 
The Buccaneers improve to 10-7 overall, improving to 7-4 in the league on a two-game winning streak. The Tigers fall to 8-8 on the season, dropping to 3-7 in the GSC.
 
"There were a lot of plays, especially in the second half, that kept us from getting the win," UWA head coach Allen Sharpe said. "It wasn't the routine plays, but plays that contributed to us losing the game – unforced errors and missed block-outs – these are plays we can eliminate, and that's what makes it so frustrating."
 
A back-and-fourth first half began to tilt in favor of Christian Brothers as Adam Dieball and Jeff Larkin connected on five field goals, including a three-pointer that gave the Buccaneers a 31-25 lead with 3:08 on the scoreboard. The Tigers closed the gap, pulling within two to trail CBU 33-31 at the intermission.
 
"We did a poor job of guarding Jeff Larkin and Adam Dieball," Sharpe said. "Give them credit; they went above and beyond on the court tonight. They won that game for Christian Brothers."
 
West Alabama began to steal momentum early in the second half, surging to a 59-50 lead with 8:46 to play in regulation. However, Dieball and Larkin sunk three, three-pointers as part of a 9-0 CBU run that erased the Tigers advantage.
 
Trailing 66-63 with 43 ticks remaining in the second half, Johnny Stallworth pulled up from beyond the arc to tie the game at 66 and force overtime.
 
The Tigers took a 69-67 lead early in overtime on a layup from Marcel Moorer, but the Buccaneers rode a string of missed opportunities from UWA shooters to a 76-71 lead with 40 seconds to play.
 
Sean Cranney drew West Alabama within one possession on a three-pointer 13 seconds later. After two missed free throws from CBU, UWA had one more chance to come away with a victory. Cranney and Stallworth each took one shot as time ran out, but neither could convert on the three-point basket.
 
"Tough times don't build character," Sharpe said, "they reveal character, and we will find out what we're made of this weekend."
 
Stallworth led West Alabama scorers with 19 points, hitting six field goals with three good for three points and 4-of-5 free throws. Alexander recorded 12 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the field. He added four offensive boards, two assists, two blocks and two steals in the loss.
 
Cranney posted 11 points, shooting 38 percent from the floor and 100 percent from the line. Gavin Robinson rounded out the double-digit scorers, finishing with 10 points.
 
Dieball and Larkin combined for 51 points on the night. Dieball lead the field with 28 points, hitting 53 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the arc. Larkin finished with 23 points on 10 field goals, three of which were good from long range.
 
The Tigers will continue at home, facing off against Union in a GSC clash on Saturday. Tip off at Pruitt Hall is set for 4 p.m.