Box Score

JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University men's basketball team made use of a pair of career nights to claim an 82-62 victory over William Woods (Mo.) University on Saturday afternoon in Fred Delay Gymnasium. Union improved to 3-0 on the season, while Williams Woods dropped to 0-4.

Career highs from AJ Roberts, a senior from Fresno, Calif., and Roy Bullock, a sophomore from O'Fallon, Ill. led Union in the win. Roberts poured in a career and game high 31 points for the Bulldogs and tied his career high in rebounds with 13, set in last Saturday's win. Bullock dropped in 25 points to best his previous high of 24.

A see-saw opening 11 minutes resulted in a 20-20 deadlock with 9:12 left until halftime. Inside of the next two minutes the Bulldogs went on a 9-0 with Roberts scoring six points to push to a 29-20 lead. Nate Bitner hit a three-point basket at 6:04 to pull the Owls within six at 29-23. The Bulldogs continued to separate from the Owls entering halftime in front 41-31. Playing to their strengths the Bulldogs relied on effective outside shooting to control the half. Union shot 53.8 percent (7-13) from three-point range in the first 20 minutes.

The Owls were without one of their top scorers with starter Seth Thomas sidelined in the second half. Union increased their advantage to 54-38 by the first media timeout of the second half. A 6-2 spurt from the Owls capped by a three-point bucket from Jayson Saldana at 10:27 trimmed the score to 61-45. Ryan Hill made the score 67-53 to bring William Woods closer after sinking a three with 6:22 to play. Union went on an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to raise the lead to a game high 23 points, 78-55. Felipe Rocha scored the last four points for Union in the 82-62 contest.  

In addition to Roberts and Bullock, Corieon Pearson also reached double figures contributing 11 points for Union. The Bulldogs shot 51 percent on 28-of-55 shooting from the field. Union was 10-of-22 (46%) from three-point range. Union out-rebounded William Woods 38-31. The Bulldogs gave away a season low nine turnovers. Union shot a season best 80 percent, 16-of-20 from the free-throw line.

Jonathon Nutt led the Owls with 20 to pace William Woods. William Woods shot 34 percent from the field, 30 percent (8-27) from long range, and 93 percent (14-15) from the free throw line.

Union will hit the road for the first time this season over Thanksgiving weekend. The Bulldogs are scheduled to face Erskine College (S.C.) at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 29 in the Florida Tech Thanksgiving Tournament. Union then is to face either Florida Tech or University of Puerto Rico– Rio Piedras on Saturday with a tip time of 1:00 or 3:30 p.m.
 
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