FLORENCE, Ala. – The Union University Lady Bulldog basketball team fell to the University of North Alabama Lions, 75-53. This is the first time of the season that Union has lost two consecutive games.

GAME DETAILS
Final:  North Alabama 75 | Union 53
Records: Union 8-6, 3-5 | North Alabama 11-2, 5-2
Location: Florence, Alabama - Flowers Hall
Series: Union leads 12-2
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com

WHAT HAPPENED

• Union opened up scoring with a jumper from Bria Gaines to take the lead 2-0. North Alabama responded with a 3-pointer from the Lion's Katelyn Nunley. With just over six minutes left in the first quarter, UNA went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, 11-5. North Alabama held a comfortable lead, but Union battled back scoring seven straight points to get within three of the Lions, 19-16 to end the first half.
• The Lady Bulldogs started the second quarter with a bang with three pointers from Astrid Huttemann and Tiffany Rechis and a free throw from Fredi Nielsen to extend their run to 14-0 to take the lead 23-19. Union was able to outscore the Lions 11-5 to go into the half leading 27-24.
• Both teams went back and forth at the start of the third quarter, but North Alabama was able to pull away from Union to lead 53-41 at the end of the quarter. The Lions outscored the Lady Bulldogs 28-14.
• North Alabama held their momentum in the fourth quarter to extend their lead 75-51 after a UNA 13-0 run. The Lady Bulldogs were able to score another jump shot with three minutes remaining, but neither team would score the remainder of the game to set the final 75-53.

 
STAT OF THE GAME
North Alabama's Michaela DeKilder posted 20 rebounds against Union while scoring 14 points.

TEAM STATS

• Union shot 38 percent from the field, 27 percent (6-for-22) from 3-point range, and 70 percent (7-for-12) from the free throw line.
• North Alabama shot 35 percent from short range, 32 percent (8-for-25) from long range, and 83 percent (19-for-23) from the foul line.
• UNA outrebounded the Lady Bulldogs 50-30 with 21 of those rebounds coming offensively while Union posted just five offensive rebounds.

 
PLAYER STATS

• Union's Jada Smith led all scorers with 20 points and Smith led the Lady Bulldogs with three assists. Smith and Bria Gaines each added six rebounds.
• North Alabama's KeKe Gunter and Emma Wallen each had 18 points in the game with Michaela DeKilder posting 20 rebounds.

 
UP NEXT
Union will return home for a pair of conference matchups against Shorter University Thursday, January 12 at 6 p.m. and Lee University Saturday, January 14 at 2 p.m.

-UNION-