With a Loss, Life Ends at 99

Life University’s home winning streak ended at 99 games Saturday night when Derrick Shaw’s desperation three-point attempt fell short and the Running Eagles lost to Talladega, 75-72, at Marietta, Ga.

A victory by the NAIA powerhouse would have made Life only the third men’s college basketball team to win 100 consecutive home games.

Talladega (3-14) trailed, 67-61, with 2:55 to play before putting together a 10-0 run in the next minute to take the lead.

“It was a great run, and you never want it to end,” Life Coach Roger Kaiser said, “but Talladega played a lot harder tonight. Their penetration killed us in the second half.”

The Running Eagles (15-6) had not lost in the Life Sports Center since Nov. 13, 1993, when Georgetown (Ky.) posted a 77-70 victory.

Kentucky had a 129-game home winning streak from 1943-55. Marymount (Kan.), another NAIA school, won 106 consecutive home games from 1971-78.

Life, ranked 15th in the NAIA this season, has had one of the nation’s most successful small-college teams since the program started in 1991.

Life was 29-6 in its first season and made the NAIA tournament the following year, beginning a streak of six consecutive postseason appearances. The Eagles were national runner-up in 1994 and won the championship two seasons ago. Overall, they’re 234-40, including a 126-6 home record.

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Most schools are more than happy with just getting donations from alumni. St. John’s got much more from Jayson Williams on Saturday night.

Sitting in the same seat behind his alma mater’s bench at Madison Square Garden as he has been while the NBA players were locked out, Williams issued some sound advice during the Red Storm’s 88-78 victory over Rutgers.

Lavor Postell was the recipient of the wisdom from the man who just agreed to a seven-year deal worth almost $100 million with the New Jersey Nets. Postell scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half as St. John’s pulled away.

“He’s a veteran and I’ll listen to what he has to say,” said Postell, a junior forward who has been averaging 10.5 points in a reserve role. “He talked to me during the game and he told me to keep my head in the game, keep crashing the boards and play like I was the best player out there. I played with a lot of heart tonight.”