JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team earned a buzzer beater victory over the Auburn University-Montgomery Warhawks, 73-72. 

GAME DETAILS
Final:  Union 73  |  Auburn-Montgomery 72
Records: UU 5-2 | AUM 1-8
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium – Jackson, Tenn.
Series: Union 3-1
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com

WHAT HAPPENED

• Union scored the first four points of the game and 12 of the first 15 to lead 12-3 with 14:18 left in the first half.
• Auburn-Montgomery responded with a 15-2 run to take an 18-14 lead with 7:46 left. Despite 3-pointers from Union's Tray Boyd and Jarad Scott, AUM answered and continued to build their lead, out to 29-21 with 4:12 left in the half. With 1:18 left in the half, a 3-pointer from Desmond Deramus gave the Warhawks their largest lead of nine, 34-25. Union got another 3-pointer from Scott to set the halftime score at 34-28. 
• AUM shot 50 percent (7-14) from long range in the first half, while Union hit just 3-of-10. Union managed just 33 percent shooting from the field, to 43 from AUM. AUM held the first half rebound edge 19-17. 
• Entering the second half, the Bulldogs were able to get within four points of the Warhawks, 38-34, and continued to shorten the AUM lead later with two jumpers from Boyd and Charlie Wilson to bring the score to 43-40. 
• Union was able to close the gap with a layup and free throw to tie AUM 43-43. The Bulldogs then took their first lead since early in the first half with a free throw from Ashanti Day 46-45. Day missed his second free throw, but recovered to get the rebound and got the slam dunk to extend the Union lead, 48-45.
• For the rest of the second half play was back and forth. With 1:27 left and the scored tied 68-68, Nick Velasquez banked a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Union a 71-68 lead. A late foul on Union put AUM within two of the Bulldogs, 71-69, after Auburn-Montgomery made one free throw. The Warhawks took advantage of a Bulldog turnover, and banked a three pointer to take a 72-71 lead with just 10 seconds remaining in the game. At the buzzer, Velasquez got the jumper to edge out AUM, 73-72.

STAT OF THE GAME
Union's Nick Velasquez struggled to score most of the game, but managed to come up big with a late 3-pointer with 1:27 to put the Bulldogs ahead 71-68. He then shot the buzzer beater to help Union to the win.

TEAM STATS

• Union shot 46 percent (24-for-52) from the field, 36 percent (5-for-14) from behind the arc, and 74 percent (20-for-27) from the foul line.
• Auburn-Montgomery shot 45 percent (27-for-60) from the field, 52 percent (14-for-27) from 3-point range, and 57 percent (4-for-7) from the free throw line.
• AUM dominated the Bulldogs 37-5 with points off the bench, but Union's 73-60 lead in on court points put the Bulldogs ahead.

PLAYER STATS

• In his first game back from injury, Charlie Wilson led Union with 21 points going 55 percent (6-for-11) from the field and 90 percent (9-for-10) from the foul line. The Bulldogs had three other players in double figure points; Ashanti Day with 19 points, Jarad Scott with 15 points, and Tray Boyd with 13 points.
• Day also added 15 rebounds to earn the double-double in the Bulldog victory.
• Auburn-Montgomery was led by Reagan Eager with 25 points.

UP NEXT
Union will return to Gulf South Conference action with a trip to Christian Brothers Saturday, December 10 at 7 p.m. Union will try to avenge a 91-60 home loss to the Bucs back on November 29. 

-UNION-