FORT SMITH, Ark. – Trailing by three with 18 seconds to play, Louis Craned was fouled on a three-point attempt with eight seconds to go in regulation. Not only did his shot find the bottom of the net, he completed the four point play to lift the Falcons to a 63-62 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith.

Crane attempted six three pointer's on the night and made just one, but it was the most important as he helped the Falcons even their record at 11-11 on the year as UTPB became the second Heartland Conference school to defeat the Lions this season. He would finish with seven points on the night.

The Lions didn't get many chances to score in the final 2:30 of the game as Cedric Henderson made a layup with 2:41 to play and it would be the last field goal they would make the rest of the way. They attempted just one more field goal during that span, a three-point attempt by Jake Toupal at the buzzer. Arkansas-Fort Smith did hit four free throws in the final two minutes of action.

The game went back-and-forth from start to finish with it tied on 12 different occasions while the lead changed hands eight other times. UTPB jumped out to an 11-4 lead after Erik Martin drained a three-pointer with 15:08 to go in the first. He would finish with 10 points and was one of three players in double-figures. Dwayne Soders tied a game-high with 16 while Jamal Holden had 12.

The Falcons would hold the lead through the first part of the first half until Gavin Glanton made a layup with 8:00 left to give the Lions a 19-18 edge. The lead would not last long as Elijah Jordan hit a three-pointer 27 seconds later to give UTPB the momentum once again.

An 11-3 run by the Lions gave them a 30-24 advantage with 2:44 before the break, but a jumper by Michael Akins closed the gap to a 32-28 Lion lead at the half.

Neither team was able to hold on to the ball to start the second half as the team's combined for five turnovers and five missed shots in the opening two minutes of the period. Austin Williams finally broke the scoring drought for his only bucket of the night to pull the Falcons within two with 17:57 to go. Williams' jumper was the start of an 11-6 run which gave UTPB a 41-36 lead with 14:47 left.

Both teams exchanged baskets until the Lions went on an 11-4 run with 2:41 to lead 58-53. They would hold a five point edge with 1:05 to go, leading 60-55, but would not score again until Toupal made a pair of free throws with 18 seconds to go to give them a 62-59 advantage.

The Falcons used 10 seconds off the clock to find an open Crane, who drained his biggest three-pointer of the season.

UTPB will step back into Heartland Conference action when it hosts Panhandle State on Thursday at 8 p.m. followed by a 4:30 tilt with Newman.