Box Score
BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Union University women's basketball posted an 83-39 win over Tennessee Temple University Thursday night in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) MidEast Region semifinals. Union improved to 19-8 on the season, while Tennessee Temple ends their season at 15-15.
In the win, Union tied a school record with 19 made three pointers. Union hit 19 three pointers two other times in school history (vs. Mid-Continent in 2011; vs. Blue Mountain in 2006).
The win also puts Union into the NCCAA MidEast Region title game Friday night at 6:00 p.m. central time versus host Bluefield College. The game will be carried locally in west Tennessee on 93.1 FM and online at
www.uuathletics.com/live.
Union scored the first six points of the game on back-to-back 3-pointers from sophomores
Amy Philamlee and
Amber Rechis. The Lady Bulldogs never looked back and with 13:21 left in the half, led by double figures 19-8. Union pushed their first half lead to as many as 23 points, thanks to a 13-0 run during the half. Union held a 43-23 lead at the half.
Union shot 65 percent (11-17) from 3-point range in the first half, led by Rechis' four 3-pointers and 12 points.
After almost five minutes of play in the second half, Union's lead remained at 20 points, 51-31. However, over the final 15 minutes, Union outscored the Lady Crusaders 32-10. Union led by as many as 46 points in the game, before taking the 83-39 final.
Union allowed just 16 points to the Lady Crusaders in the second half. Union made eight more 3-pointers in the second half to tie the record with 19 made for the game. Seven different players hit a 3-pointer for Union, including five each form Rechis and
Astrid Huttemann.
Emily Sissom's 3-pointer with 2:19 left to play, her second of the night, was the record tying shot.
Huttemann and Rechis led Union with 15 points each and were the only two players in double figures.
LaTesa McLaughlin and
Paige Parker added nine points each, while Christian Coney and
Kelsey Risner scored eight points each. Ten of the 12 players who played in the game for Union scored. McLaughlin and Philamlee led with six assists each, while Risner and Philamlee led with six rebounds each.
Shelby Ashcraft played limited time for Union in her first game since January 19 after missing due to an injury. She scored four points and grabbed five rebounds.
Union shot 45 percent from the field, 49 percent (19-39) from long range, and 50 percent (2-4) from the free throw line.
Tennessee Temple was led by Amber Charles with 12 points and TaQuasha O'Neal 11 points. Charles added a team high eight boards. The Lady Crusaders shot 24 percent from the field, 10 percent (2-21) from 3-point range, and 85 percent (11-13) from the charity stripe.
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