JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University men's basketball team fell to North Alabama 96-78 on Thursday night. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs clinched their third consecutive Gulf South Conference berth since joining the NCAA Division II ranks.
 
GAME DETAILS
Final: North Alabama 96 | Union 78
Records: Union 14-13, 9-12 | North Alabama 14-13, 9-12
Location: Fred DeLay Gymnasium – Jackson, Tenn.
Series: Union leads 23-17
Social: @UUAthletics  |  #WeAreUU  |  UUAthletics.com
 
WHAT HAPPENED
 

• Neither team scored until two and a half minutes into action when North Alabama pulled off two quick field goals to garner a 4-0 lead. The lead would not last as Union went on a 12-3 run to sit ahead of the Lions, 14-9, with 13:21 left in the first half.
• North Alabama retook the lead with 7:48 remaining after back and forth play between the two teams. The Lions continued the scoring with an 8-2 run with the help of two Union turnovers that moved the deficit to five points. UNA kept that same pace knocking down back to back threes followed by an uncontested dunk that that made the score 39-28 with 3:32 left in the half.
• The Bulldogs cut the deficit into single digits going into the half thanks to a long three from Nick Velasquez, but still went into the locker room down 45-36.
• At the beginning of the second half, North Alabama would extend their lead back to double digits with a free throw, 46-36. Union would get two points back on a layup by Ashanti Day, but UNA again pushed ahead by 14 points after back-to-back threes by Johnell Ginnie. The Bulldogs cut the Lion's lead to 52-46 after an 8-0 run capped by a dunk from Charlie Wilson. North Alabama would get five of those points back, but Union again scored eight straight to trail 57-54 with 12:51 left in the game.
• Play was back and forth as North Alabama still held the lead 69-65 with 7:55 remaining. UNA would then pull away from the Bulldogs, 86-69, after scoring 12 straight. Velasquez was able to break up the run with a three to bring the score to 86-72 with just over two minutes left in the game.
• The Bulldogs put up another six points in the closing seconds but it would not be enough falling to North Alabama 96 to 78.

 
STAT OF THE GAME
Union turned the ball over 13 times in the game compared to North Alabama's three. The turnovers by the Bulldogs translated to 20 points for the Lions.
  

TEAM STATS
 

• The Bulldogs shot 51 percent from the field in the loss and 46 percent from behind the arc. Union only hit five free throws in 13 trips to the line, good for 38 percent.
• The Lions shot over 50 percent from all the categories going 36-for-68 from the field, hitting 12-of-24 from behind the arc, and 12-for-22 at the free throw line. 

PLAYER STATS
 

• The Bulldogs had four players in double figures with Tray Boyd leading the scoring with 25 points. Charlie Wilson and Ashanti Day both added 14 points in the contest while Nick Velasquez added 11 points to the Union total.
• Johnell Ginnie led the Lions knocking down 32 points while DeAndre McKinnie added 22 points.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will finish out their regular season schedule on Saturday, February 25th, against Alabama Huntsville at 4:00 p.m. in The Fred. Three seniors from the Union roster, Ashanti Day, Felipe Rocha, and Jarad Scott, will all be recognized in the regular season finale.