Box Score

JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University men's basketball team earned a victory over Christian Brothers University 73-70 Saturday afternoon at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union improved to 5-16 on the season and 3-10 in the Gulf South Conference. Christian Brothers dropped to 13-7 overall and 8-4 in league play.
                     
Union earned with the help of some key baskets down the stretch. In the second half, Union shot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent (6-12) from 3-point range. The big shot came from senior forward Dani Marti who hit a step-back 3-pointer with 1:18 left to give Union a 71-70 advantage.
 
After a both teams swapped turnovers, Union's defense forced a shot-clock violation on Christian Brothers. With 19 seconds left, Union's freshman guard Roy Bullock was fouled and sank both free throws to put Union up 73-70.
 
Christian Brothers missed a 3-point attempt and after a scramble for the loose ball, Union's Marti got the rebound. He was promptly fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. After a timeout and with two seconds on the clock, Christian Brothers converted inbounds play the length of the floor that gave Pat Graham an open 24-foot 3-point attempt, but the shot rimmed off as time expired, giving Union the win.
 
Union started off hot, scoring the first five points of the game. Union led by as many as nine points early, 14-5. Union maintained the lead, but Christian Brothers began to slowly cut down the deficit. With 17 seconds left in the half, Christian Brothers' Drew Hildreth hit a layup to give the Bucs their first lead of the game, and a 33-32 halftime lead.
 
In the second half, Christian Brothers extended their lead to as many as eight points, 59-51, with 9:33 left in the game. Union responded over the next two-plus minutes with a 10-0 run to take a two point lead. The Bucs answered and regained the lead by three points, 66-63. Union tied the game at 66-66 and again at 68-68, before Christian Brothers once again took another 2-point lead, 70-68. That is when Union's Marti hit the game-winning shot.
 
The game featured three ties and 10 lead changes, with all three ties and nine of the lead changes coming in the second half. Both teams put on a 3-point shooting clinic with Union making 11 treys and Christian Brothers hitting 10 long range shots.
 
Union's Corieon Pearson led five Bulldog players in double-figures with 20 points, adding six assists in the game as well. Anthony Freeman, Jr. and Marti added 13 points each, while Bullock scored 11 points, and Pedro Faller added 10 points. Union shot 48 percent from the field, 46 percent from behind the arc, and 83 percent (10-12) from the free throw line.
 
Christian Brothers was led by Hildreth with a game-high 21 points. Trey Casey added a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Michael Drake scored 18 points and Ryan Fleming added 10 rebounds. The Bucs shot 44 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range (10-27), and 67 percent (6-9) from the free throw line.
 
Up next for Union will be a home game, Saturday, February 16 at 4:00 p.m. versus North Alabama.
 
#UNION#