LIVINGSTON, Ala, | The University of Alabama in Huntsville men's basketball team once again gave the league's top team all it could handle but came up just short, falling 69-68 at No. 23 West Alabama on Wednesday evening. The Chargers slip to 15-10 (8-8 Gulf South Conference), while the Tigers improve to 21-4 (14-3 GSC).
 
In the contest, Max Shulman became the 30th player in program history to record 1,000 career points, and he is the fourth Charger to do so in the past two seasons. The Chattanooga, Tennessee, native pushed past the milestone in his 107th career game, and the majority of his points have come from beyond the arc where he has made 236 shots which currently ranks fifth all-time at UAH.
 
The Chargers nearly erased a five-point deficit in the final minute of the contest, with Chaney Johnson scoring before Sutton Smith stole the ball away on the ensuing possession, allowing Johnson's thunderous dunk with 19 seconds left to pull UAH within one. After the visitors nearly created a turnover on the in-bounds pass, UWA would miss the front-end of a one-and-one situation after being fouled, and after Dane Harding grabbed the rebound, the Chargers would get a great look at a game-winner that did everything but fall.
 
Johnson led the Chargers on the night as he went 11-for-17 from the floor to score 26 while also grabbing a team-best six rebounds, handing out an assist, and picking up a steal. CJ Williamson was UAH's other to reach double figures as he poured in 14.
 
After falling behind early, UAH would use a 13-0 run near the middle portion of the first half to go in front 20-13, and the team would eventually take a 42-34 lead into the locker room at the break.
 
With UAH still in front by eight at 44-36 early in the second, West Alabama would go on a 12-2 run to go up 48-46 at the 12:29 mark, and from that point the lead would exchange hands twice and there would be three ties before the Tigers pulled in front 67-61 with 1:47 left.
 
Johnson then scored the last seven for the Chargers to create the 69-68 final.
 
UAH shot 47.5 percent overall on the night, while UWA kept itself in the game by shooting 51.7 percent from 3-point land, well above its season average of 31.5 percent, and the hosts finished the contest shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. 
 
UWA also held a 36-29 advantage in rebounds, though the Chargers built up a 13-11 edge in second-chance points.
 
The Blue and White will look to bounce back on Saturday when the team stays on the road to visit West Georgia. Tip-off in Carrollton is set for 1 p.m. CT.