JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team fell 86-79 to Christian Brothers University Thursday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium in the final regular season game. Union dropped to 19-9 on the season and 13-9 in the Gulf South Conference. Christian Brothers improved to 12-16 overall and 10-12 in league play.
The game was missing key contributors on both sides. Union played without leading scorer Marterrace Brock and starting center, Serigne Mboup. Christian Brothers was without seven time GSC Freshman of the Week and second leading scorer, Adam Dieball.
Union opened the game with a 3-pointer from Jordan Montgomery. However, After almost eight minutes of play, Christian Brothers held a 17-7 lead with the help of an 11-0 run. Christian Brothers extended their lead to 12 points, 24-12, with 9:27 left in the half. Union responded and after a 7-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Brennan Bowling, Union trailed just four, 26-22, with 7:31 left. Union got as close as four points a few time late in the half, but CBU was able to push their lead back to their largest of the half, 46-32 just before the half. Union's KC Goodwin drained a fall-away 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut Union's deficit to 11 points going into the half.
Christian Brothers extended their lead to as many as 16 points several times early in the second half with the latest coming, 70-54, with 5:58 left in the game. However, Union stormed back. Bowling's 3-pointer with 3:17 left cut the deficit to just five points, 72-67. It also capped a 9-0 run for the Bulldogs. The teams went back and forth over the next four possession each with Union cutting the deficit to five points four more times.
Trailing by five with 1:23 left in the game, Union got a steal but missed on two 3-point attempts on their end. CBU hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to seven points, 81-74, with 53 seconds left. Union's Ashanti Day pulled down an offensive board and was fouled, then hit both free throws to put the deficit back at five points, 81-76 with 40 seconds left. CBU hit a pair of free throws and Union's Jordan Montgomery hit a 3-pointer following an offensive board to cut the deficit to four points, 83-79, with 9.5 seconds left. CBU hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final nine seconds to seal the win 86-79.
Union was led by Montgomery with a career-high 34 points including 6-of-12 three pointers. Day added 21 points and 13 rebounds. Bowling scored 15 points, one shy of his career high of 16 earlier this season. Union shot 44 percent from the field, 41 percent (12-29) from long range and 72 percent (21-29) from the foul line.
Christian Brothers was led by Larkin with a career-high 37 points. Hildreth added 13 points, while Miller scored 12 points. Trentman grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. The Bucs shot 52 percent from the field, 50 percent (11-22) from 3-point range and 72 percent (13-18) from the free throw line.
Up next will be the quarterfinal round of the GSC Tournament Tuesday, March 1 at home. Union will host as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed and the opponent is to be determined.
-UNION-
