Box Score

BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Union University men's basketball team advanced to the NCCAA National Tournament with a 91-76 win Friday evening in the MidEast Region title game over host Bluefield (Va.) College. The Bulldogs improved to 13-15 on the season. The Rams finish with a 16-13 record.

The Bulldogs opened the game with 6-2 run getting points from Corieon Pearson, Roy Bullock and Paul Valdor. A pass from AJ Roberts to Bullock for a layup at 13:40 gave Union a five point lead 13-8. Kyle Grisby delivered a layup to complete an 8-3 Bluefield spurt tying the game 16-16 with 9:09 in the half. Union surged to a 27-16 advantage at 4:48. Ashanti Day hit a pair of free throws with less than a minute remaining to put Union ahead 35-21. Josh Nesbit hit a jump shot that cut the Union margin to 35-23 at halftime. The Rams blocked five of the Bulldogs shots in the half. Bluefield outscored Union 18-8 in the paint during the first 20 minutes.

Nesbit began the second half with a layup that made the lead 35-25. The Rams pulled within seven 40-33 when Andrew Wilson sank a 3-point shot at 17:22. Eric Leisey put in a layup off a feed from Pearson to give Union a 52-39 edge. Ten consecutive points by Day gave Union their largest lead of the game 67-46 with 8:12 left. The Rams trimmed the margin to nine 78-69 at the 3:06 mark following a Wilson 3-point basket off a pass from Grisby. A 13-4 Union run grew the lead to 91-74 with under a minute to play. The Bulldogs went on to earn a 91-76 victory.

Three players powered Union by scoring at least 20 points. Pearson led Union with a game high 26 points. For the second night in a row Day set a new career high concluding with 23 points. Roberts put in 20 points. Day had a double-double by grabbing a game high 12 rebounds. Pearson dished seven assists and Roberts six.

Four Rams reached double figures with Wilson hitting for 25 points. Nesbit and Devin Page scored 16 apiece. Grisby ended with 10. Nesbit got a double-double by pulling in 10 rebounds.

Post tournament awards were given to Pearson who was named MidEast Region Player of the Year as well as being a first team honoree. Roberts was tabbed to the NCCAA MidEast Region second team.

The eight team field for the 2014 NCCAA National Tournament bracket will be announced Sunday evening. The tournament held at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind. begins Wednesday, March 19 and goes through Saturday, March 22.

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