JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team fell to Christian Brothers University, 86-79. Union fell to 6-5 overall, 0-3 in the Gulf South Conference. No. 8/6 Christian Brothers improved to 11-0, 3-0 conference

Tevin Florent put Union ahead at the beginning with a dunk. Jeff Larkin quickly responded for the Bucs with a three-pointer. 

In a closely played first half, neither team scored more than four points in a row. While Christian Brothers held a small lead for most of the half, the Bucs' largest lead was 23-19. Union held a couple of two point leads early in the game, then led 37-36 on a dunk from Charlie Wilson with 54 seconds left in the half. CBU regained the lead with a basked from Jacob Lyons in their final possession. There were eight lead changes and eight ties between the two teams in the first half, with CBU leading 38-37 at the half. 

After a two minute and 30 second scoring drought to start the second half for both teams, CBU's Adam Dieball scored the half's first two points. Union's Tyree Boykin then tied the game with a 3-pointer, 40-40, with 16:52 left. Union held a brief 42-40 lead when Pedro Da Silva scored on a put back. The teams continued to play close, but neither team able to gain control.

Boykin hit five three-pointers in a row beginning at the 14:28 minute mark for Union. However, with Union leading 62-57, their largest lead of the game, CBU's Joe Laravie scored eight straight points for the Bucs to give his team the lead for good. CBU led by as many as ten, including 86-76 with 25 seconds left. Boykin hit his ninth three-pointer of the game with 13 seconds left to set the final, 86-79. Boykin was 7-for-7 from three in the second half. 

Union was led by Boykin with 27 points, 9-12 shooting from long range. After missing the last seven games with an injury, Charlie Wilson recorded 19 points and a team high of nine rebounds. Florent finished with 13 points. Union shot 51 percent from the field, 46 percent (13-28) from three point range, and 67 percent (10-15) from the free throw line. 

Christian Brothers was led by Dieball with 30 points. Laravie added 21 and Larkin scored 16. The Bucs shot 59 percent from the field, 47 percent (8-17) from the three, and 78 (14-18) from the free throw line. 

Union will be off until January 2nd when they host West Georgia at 8 p.m.

-UNION-