Talladega College handed No. 9 Life University its first loss of the season in dramatic fashion, securing an electrifying 86–77 victory inside the Billy C. Hawkins Student Activity Center. The Tornadoes battled through a tough first half, stormed back after halftime, and then dominated overtime to take down the nationally ranked, previously undefeated Running Eagles.

Life entered the matchup unbeaten and ranked ninth in the nation, but Talladega matched their fire from the opening tip. The Tornadoes trailed 42–34 at halftime, yet momentum began shifting as they tightened their defense and attacked the glass. Talladega outscored the top-10 powerhouse 40–32 in the second half to force overtime, and once the extra period began, the Tornadoes completely took over, outscoring Life 12–3.

Tre Simmons was sensational, pouring in 25 points, including three huge three-pointers and a clutch 10-for-12 performance at the free-throw line. Arthur Williams powered through Life's bigs all night, delivering 15 points and 10 rebounds while controlling the paint. Derek Burditt orchestrated the offense and anchored the defense with 13 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals, playing all 45 minutes in an ironman performance after starting point guard Eric Howard Jr. was sidelined by injury. Shaun Walker added 11 points and 4 boards, while Xzavier Gamory-Valci knocked down two momentum-shifting threes off the bench.

Talladega's defense was the true difference-maker. The Tornadoes forced 21 turnovers, turning them into 28 points, and out rebounded the opponent 42–26, displaying grit and an unwavering will to win. Their composure, hustle, and belief shifted the entire energy of the arena as the game wore on.

After the emotional win, Coach Hartsfield praised his team's resilience and execution, stating, "Huge team victory tonight! Our bench came in and gave us some major minutes. Very productive point guard play from our junior guard Derek Burditt, who played all 45 minutes of the game with Eric being injured. I'm super proud of him, as well as the rest of the team! Thanks to all that stayed to support—fans are appreciated."