BAY MINETTE -- The Faulkner State Sun Chiefs suffered their fourth-straight loss Monday night, falling in a heartbreaker to Bevill State 71-70 before a big crowd at Robertson Arena in Bay Minette.

The Chiefs led 59-51 with eight minutes left but couldn't hold on as the Bears from Fayette outscored the home team 20-11 down the stretch.

It was the fourth consecutive defeat for FSCC after opening the season with seven-straight victories.

"We are still making crucial mistakes at crucial times," a disappointed Faulkner State head coach Jack Robertson said after the game.

"We turned it over too many times late in the game and just made some mistakes we shouldn't have made. We made some really bad decisions down the stretch and we didn't stop them when we had to. I did think we played much better defense in the second half as our defense was just not there in the first half."

Faulkner was led by Kyle Brown and Ben Kitt, each with 10 points.

Nick Perrymond added 10 points while R.J. Hofler, Jamaal Hadley, and Eugene Myers-Kyles each chipped in with eight. Dajaun Hunter had five, Bret Kelley had three and Nick King two to round out the Sun Chief scoring.

Jamar Livings led Bevill with 20 while Michael James had 12 and Quinton Smith 11. Antonio Benjamin had nine and Tom Jervis contributed seven for the Bears, who improved to 8-8 with the win.

Kitt led all rebounders with 14 boards while Perrymond had nine assists for Faulkner. Kitt also had three blocks.

Perrymond's three got the Sun Chiefs off to a good start and two Hunter free throws made it 5-2 early. Bevill tied it at 7-7 and it remained close until a Kitt three-pointer gave the Chiefs a short-lived three-point lead.

Livings, Jervis, and Benjamin then led a Bevill drive that put them up by 12 (33-21) with under five minutes left in the half.

Perrymond and Kitt then hit threes for Robertson's team and then Hofler scored inside to cut the lead to 33-29. Two Hofler free throws and a Brown charity toss plus a Brown jumper trimmed the lead to 35-34 before a James' bucket in the half's waning seconds made it 37-34 at intermission.

Hadley, Myers-Kyles, and Brown led a second half surge that got the home team an eight point lead at 47-39.

A Kelley basket and inside scores from Hofler and Kitt kept the lead at eight. Two Perrymond free throws made it 59-51 but that is when the visitors came to life.

James, Jervis, and Livings all scored and a three-point play from Livings with under five minutes left tied it at 61 all.

Brown then had a three for Faulkner and King two free throws to put FSCC back in the lead at 66-63.

But Livings hit a jumper and then made two free throws when Kitt was whistled for a technical as he entered the game before the referee signaled him in.

Brown's rebound basket gave Faulkner their final lead at 68-67. Jervis then made two free throws with :52 remaining to regain the lead for Bevill and two Livings free throws with :13 left made it a three point game.

Faulkner then tried to hit a three but couldn't get it off and Kitt had to put in a loose ball with :01 left. The Bears then managed to get the ball inbounds to seal the win.

Faulkner returns to action Thursday evening as they take their annual visit to Gatlinburg, Tenn. They play Maryville, Tenn., on Thursday night and then on Sunday afternoon visit Hiawassee for a 2 p.m. contest.