JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University Lady Bulldog basketball team fell to in-state rival Lee University, 74-69. Union had a late surge, but it was not enough to top the Lady Flames.


GAME DETAILS
Final: Lee 74 | Union 69
Records: Union 9-7, 4-6 | Lee 11-4, 6-3
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium - Jackson, Tennessee
Series: Union leads 26-6
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com


WHAT HAPPENED

• Union and Lee started the game going back and forth. Union was down 7-4 when Astrid Huttemann banked a 3-pointer to tie the game 7-7. Jada Smith kept things going for Union with a Jumper to give the Lady Bulldogs a 9-7 lead, but the run was broken up with a layup by the Lady Flames. Union had a slight lead, 15-11,  with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter when Lee started a 6-0 run to take the lead, 17-15. Bria Gaines squashed the run with a jumper, but the Lady Flames kept the momentum with a 4-0 run to lead Union by four points, 21-17. The Lady Bulldogs were able to get two points back with a layup from Gaines at the end of the first quarter to cut the Lee lead to 21-19.
• Union scored first in the second quarter keeping their run alive to go 6-0 and take the lead back, 23-21. The Lady Flames battled back to regain the lead 25-23, but it would be short-lived as the Lady Bulldogs scored five straight to lead, 28-25. With 1:40 left in the second quarter, Lee hit back to back 3-pointers to take back the lead 35-32, and it would be enough to send the Lady Flames into halftime with the advantage.
• Gaines and Smith led Union with eight points each at the half while Lee's Lindsey Roddy led with seven points. Union shot for 35 percent from the field, 17 percent (1-for-6) from 3-point range, and 90 percent (9-for-10) from the free throw line. Lee shot 54 percent from short range, 36 percent (4-for-11) from long range, and was perfect at the foul line.
• The Lady Bulldogs scored first in the third quarter to get within one point of the Lady Flames, 35-34. Lee extended their lead back to four points with a three, but a layup and free throw by Jada Perkins brought Union back within one, 38-37. The Lady Flames then went on a 5-0 run to give Lee their largest lead up to that point by six, 44-38. Megan Lewis broke up Lee's momentum with a three. The Lady Bulldogs were able to cut the deficit to 48-47 with 1:46 left in the third quarter, but Lee took their lead back up to six with a layup and 3-pointer to end the quarter leading 53-47.
• The Lady Flames extended their lead up to nine points, 68-59, with 4:05 left in the game. Lee still led by nine, 70-61, when Union's Gaines shot a layup and was fouled on the successful shot to cut the Lady Flame lead to six. Huttemann then banked a three pointer to continue the run for the Lady Bulldogs. Union scored two more to get the 8-0 run and to trail Lee by one point, 70-69. The surge was too late for the Lady Bulldogs as Lee was able to hold off Union to get the win, 74-69.

STAT OF THE GAME
Lee led the game for 27 minutes, and when the Lady Flames gained the lead in the second quarter they would hold it until the end of the game.


TEAM STATS

• Union shot 38 percent from the field, 19 percent (3-for-16) from long range, and 86 percent (18-for-21) from the free throw line.
• Lee shot 49 percent from short range, 40 percent (8-for-20) from behind the arc, and 78 percent (14-for-18) from the foul line.

PLAYER STATS

• Bria Gaines led the Lady Bulldogs with 19 points followed by Jada Smith with 15 points. Astrid Huttemann led with nine rebounds while Fredi Nielsen added eight boards.
• Lee was led by Carrie Cheeks with 15 points and seven rebounds. The Lady Flames had three other players with double figure points. 

UP NEXT
The Lady Bulldogs will begin a four game road trip starting at the University of West Georgia Thursday, January 19 at 4:30 p.m. Union will return home Thursday, February 2 to take on the University of West Alabama at 6 p.m.


-UNION-