Box Score TIFTON – ABAC Stallion head basketball coach Calvin Sinkfield should consider sending a bill for rent to the Life University athletic department. For nearly two hours Monday night, the Screaming Eagles practically lived at the Gressette Gym's free throw lines.
 
The visitors from Marietta made 28 of 38 free throws compared to a 12-for-17 night for ABAC. That 16-point advantage was the key to an 87-76 Life University win.
 
Senior forward Dara Olonade was the main culprit. Though only 6-4, Olonade continuously banged inside to draw Stallion fouls and made 13 of 20 free throws on the night. He finished with a game-high 27 for the Eagles, who took advantage of the Stallions inside, outscoring ABAC 46-32 in the paint, and scored 31 points off ABAC turnovers.
 
Despite those issues, ABAC led the majority of the game. Point guard Matthew Mairena hit a pair of free throws to put the Stallions up 65-58 midway through the second half, ABAC's largest lead of the game. A 5-0 run by Life cut the lead to two points and Chaze Harris's layup with 6:36 left tied the game at 67-67.
 
And again, experience was an obstacle ABAC could not overcome. Life featured 10 upperclassmen on their roster, compared to two juniors for the Stallions, and the Eagles' group of juniors and seniors scored 81 of their 87 points.
 
The Stallions did shoot the ball well, hitting nearly 60 percent of their field goal attempts, including 8-of-16 3-pointers. Junior Xavier Boyd led the way with 22 points while T.J. Smith added 17 and Mairena scored 15 to go with six assists. Mairena was out with the flu during the Stallions' first game against Life last Saturday in Marietta, a 41-point loss.
 
ABAC returns to Gressette Gym Thursday night for the final home game of the year when the Brewton-Parker Barons come to town for a 7:30 p.m. game.