JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University men's basketball team fell 92-87 Thursday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium to the Hawks of Shorter University. Union led by double digits early, then trailed by double-digits before rallying late to cut the deficit to two points. 

GAME DETAILS
Final: Shorter 92  |  Union 87
Records: Union 9-6, 4-5 GSC | Shorter 9-4, 4-4 GSC
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium - Jackson, Tennesee
Series: Union leads 7-3
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com

WHAT HAPPENED

• Shorter led 5-3 early, but a 13-0 Union sent the Bulldogs out to a 16-5 lead. Jarad Scott sparked the start for Union with three 3-pointers. Shorter settled in, cutting the Union lead down to just two points, 18-16 with 12:29 left in the half. Union stopped the run momentarily, going back up by seven points. But a 7-0 run by Shorter tied the game 23-23, with 9:11 left in the half. 
• With the game tied again 31-31 with 6:25 left, Shorter posted a 17-3 run to push their lead to 48-34 with 1:07 left in the half. Union cut into their deficit with a 6-1 run including a 4-point play by Alex Keel at the buzzer. Shorter led 49-40
• The Hawks shot 53 percent from the field and 53 percent (8-15) from long range in the first 20 minutes. Union shot 48 percent in the first half, including 35 percent (6-17) from 3-point range in the first half.
• Early in the second half with Union down 10, 51-41, the Bulldogs posted a 9-2 run to cut the Shorter lead to just three points, 53-50. The nine points for Union came on three 3-pointers. Shorter answered with a 6-0 to get their lead back to nine points. Shorter extended their lead to as many as 11 points in the second half, 81-70, with 7:06 left in the game. 
• Union slowly began to pull back into the game and following a 3-pointer from Nick Velasquez with 1:05 left, Union trailed just 87-85. After a Shorter basket, Union again got to within two points, 89-87, on a dunk from Charlie Wilson with nine seconds left. But the Hawks closed out the game with 3-of-4 free throws to seal the win.
   

STAT OF THE GAME
Shorter's leading scorer entering the game, Phill Taylor did not play. Helping fill the gap was Warren Helligar with 29 points, including 17 in the first half. Entering the game, he averaged just 4.7 points per game average and had made just two 3-pointers in the 10 previous games.

TEAM STATS

• Union shot 53 percent from the field, 41 percent (12-29) from long range and 70 percent (7-10) from the free throw line. Union shot just two free throws in the second half. 
• Shorter shot 53 percent from the field, 48 percent from 3-point range (11-23) and 76 percent (19-25) from the free throw line. 
• Union edged Shorter 32-29 in rebounds, while Shorter committed just seven turnovers to 11 for Union. Union outscored Shorter 47-43 in the second half.

 
PLAYER STATS

• Union was led by Scott with 19 points including four 3-pointers. Wilson and Ashanti Day scored 16 points, while Day completed the double-double with 11 rebounds. Velasquez scored 14 points with four 3-pointers. Boyd scored 13 points. 
• Shorter was led by Helligar's 29 points, 4-of-7 from long range. Brown added 19 and Potter scored 15, while Ross added a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

UP NEXT
Union will host their final game of this home stand versus Lee University Saturday, January 14 at 4 p.m.

-UNION-