JACKSON, Tenn. - The No. 9 Union University women's basketball team defeated the University of West Georgia 60-55 Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the Gulf South Conference Tournament. Union improved to 27-2 on the season, while West Georgia ends their season at 9-20. 

Union scored first on a basket from Fredi Nielsen, starting in place of injured Tiara Caldwell, Union's leading scorer. West Georgia answered with a 3-pointer from D'Asia Cain. The teams went back and forth for the rest of the quarter. West Georgia led by as many as four points, 16-12, following a 3-pointer from Terrianna Cave. Union led twice by as many as two points in the quarter. With Union holding for the last shot of the quarter down 20-17, freshman guard Jada Perkins hit a step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game. 

West Georgia responded by scoring the first seven points of the second quarter to take their largest lead to this point, 27-20. Union went the first five minutes and 40 seconds of the quarter without scoring until Kelsey Rinser scored on an offensive put back. Chelsea Bodiford then hit a pair of free throws to cut Union's deficit to 27-24 with 3:50 left in the half. Perkins again closed out the quarter's scoring, just like the first quarter, with a 3-pointer. This time, it was with 2:06 left in the quarter to pull Union back to within three points, 30-27. Neither team scored for the final two minutes of the half. 

Union struggled from the field in the first half, shooting just 29 percent from the field and 29 percent (5-17) form long range. Union spent most of the half, playing five guards, leading to a rebounding deficit of 26-15 int eh first half. Risner led all scorers with 10 points in the first half. 

The second half started with neither team scoring for the first two minutes. West Georgia then scored four point to match their largest lead of seven points, 34-27, with 7:10 left in the third quarter. Union's Carnecia Williams broke Union's five minute scoring drought with a layup to get Union back to within five points. Bodiford then hit a 3-pointer on Union's next possession to get the Lady Bulldogs back to within two points, 34-32, with 6:20 left in the quarter. Bodiford hit her second straight three pointer with 5:14 left to give Union their first lead since 12-11 in the first quarter. Risner extended the Union run to 11-0 with a 3-pointer, giving Union their largest lead to this point, 38-34, at the 4:28 mark. West Georgia stayed close and then tied the game on a three pointer from JaDechia Hill, 40-40 with just over a minute left. Bodiford answered with her third 3-pointer putting Union back up, 43-40. West Georgia hit two free throws to cut Union's lead back to one, 43-42. Both teams missed on their final possessions of the third quarter, keeping Union up by one. 

Union scored first in the fourth quarter on a layup from Williams, followed by a layup form Perkins on their next possession, giving Union a 47-42 lead, their largest. After a Wolves basket, Bodiford hit her fourth 3-pointer giving Union a 50-44 lead with 7:58 left in game. Tiffany Rechis hit a 3-pointer, extending Union's lead to 53-46, their largest of the game, with six minutes left. West Georgia kept is close and after a 3-pointer from Hill and a jumper form Katrina Littlepage, the Wolves were back within one point, 54-53 with 2:29 left. West Georgia then had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but a steal by Union led to a fast break layup form Nielsen to put Union back up by three points, 56-53 with 1:30 left in the game. 

Union got a defensive stop and now had the ball with a 3-point lead as the clock ticked under one minute left. After a timeout from Union head coach Mark Campbell, the Lady Bulldogs missed on the shot, but Williams got the offensive board and was fouled. She hit one of two free throws to put Union up four, 57-53 with 47 seconds left. West Georgia drove the floor and was fouled, sending Littlepage to the foul line where she hit both, cutting their deficit to 57-55 with 41 seconds left. Union's Risner got to the line and hit both free throws putting the lead back at four points. After a missed attempt by West Georgia, Perkins took the rebound and was fouled with 25 seconds. She hit one of two free throws to give Union a five-point cushion, 60-55. Union got the rebound on West Georgia's last attempt and ran out the clock for the win. 

Union was led by Risner with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bodiford added 14 points, 12 coming in the second half where she was 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Perkins added 11 points and Jada Smith led with six assists. Union finished the game shooting 31 percent from the field, 33 percent (11-33) from behind the arc, and 75 percent (9-12) from the charity stripe. 

West Georgia was led by Littlepage with 16 points. Hill added 13 points, while Cain led with 12 rebounds. The Wolves shot 35 percent from the field, 27 percent (6-22) from 3-point range and 85 percent (11-13) from the free throw line. 

Up next for Union will be a trip to the GSC Semifinals Friday, March 4 in Birmingham, Ala. at the Hanna Center on the campus of Samford University. Union will face #5 seeded Lee (Tenn.) for a trip to the finals Saturday at 1 p.m. Listen on 93.1 FM or online at www.uuathletics.com/live. 

-UNION-