Box Score
JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University women's basketball team fell at home Thursday night 77-67 to Delta State (Miss.) University. Union dropped to 7-4 on the season and 2-1 in the Gulf South Conference. Delta State improved to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in league play.
Union led 31-28 at the half after a back-and-forth first 20 minutes. The first half featured five ties and 13 lead changes. Union led by as many as four points, 10-6, while Delta State held a lead of two points on a couple of occasions.
However, the second half belong to the visiting Lady Statesmen. Delta State scored the first eight points of the half to take the lead for good. Delta State outscored Union 16-2 over the first nine minutes of play. A layup by
Amber Rechis was Union's lone basket until
Shelby Ashcraft cut the deficit down to nine points, 44-35 with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Delta State held Union at bay and led by as many as 13 points twice, with the latest coming 63-50 with 2:04 left in the game.
The 77 points was the most points allowed by Union on the season, the most since 69 points allowed in a 69-60 loss at then No. 25 Drury (Mo.).
Delta State shot 55 percent in the second half from the field on their way to 49 second half points, and did so without the help of a 3-pointer.
Union shot 40 percent from long range (8-for-20), but had trouble with the defense of Delta State. Delta State outscored Union 18-5 in second chance points, and 20-6 in points off turnovers. Union committed 13 turnovers in the game, while Delta State committed nine.
Union was led by Ashcraft with 19 points and eight rebounds.
Amy Philamlee added 15 points and Rechis scored 13 points. Union shot 40 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free throw line (17-23).
Delta State was led by Brooke Rhodes with a game-high 21 points. Rhandi Ball added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Seneca Walton and Chelsey Rhodes scored 14 and 13 points respectively. The Lady Statesmen shot 52 percent from the field, 20 percent (2-10) from long range, and 70 percent (19-27) from the free throw line.
Up next for Union will be a road game Saturday, January 5 at Christian Brothers in Memphis at 2:00 p.m.
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