JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball team defeated Valdosta State University, 82-66, Monday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union, ranked no. 19 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 8 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, improved 16-1 overall and 9-0 in the Gulf South Conference. Valdosta dropped to 11-5 overall and 5-4 in the GSC.
The win for Union extended several winning streaks including 15 straight home wins, 13 straight GSC regular season wins, and 11 straight on the season.
Union stared with a 5-2 lead following a 3-pointer from Chelsey Shumpert. After that, Union was slow to get their offense going as Valdosta State started to build a lead. Valdosta State hit a couple of three's and a lay up. Jada Perkins broke up the run with a pair of free throws and a lay up by Sara Lytle kept the score close. Union shot 100 percent from the free throw line in the first quarter, answering for six points of the final 17 in the quarter. Union trailed 20-17 at the end of one.
Valdosta State added to the two points scored at the end of the first quarter and continued with a 10-0 run to take a 28-17 lead with 8:49 left in the half. Then, Union's Shumpert took over with four straight 3-pointers in a span of two minutes for a personal 12-0 run to get Union back in the game, 31-31. The teams swapped baskets over the final two minutes and Valdosta State led 37-36 at the half. It was the first time all season that Union trailed at halftime.
Valdosta State extended their lead out to as many as four points a few times in the second half. Then with the Blazers leading 46-43 with 5:37 left, Union's offense exploded. Union out scored VSU 25-4 over the remainder of the third quarter and early stages of the fourth quarter. Union held their largest lead of 19 points, 70-51, with 8:01 left in the game. After back-to-back Tiffany Rechis 3-pointers and one from AnnaLea Little, Union took the led again by 19 points, 78-58 with 3:10 left in the game. Union cruised down the stretch to win 82-66. Union was 8-of-14 from long range (57%) in the second half.
Union was led by Shumpert with a career-high 35 points. It is the third time this year that Shumpert has eclipsed a career-high. She was 8-of-12 from 3-point range and added nine rebounds. Sara Lytle added 16 points, Rechis scored 15 points on four three pointers, while Jada Perkins scored 10 points. Union shot 37 percent from the field, 41 percent (14-34) from 3-point range, and 78 percent (18-23) form the free throw line.
Valdosta State was led by Madi Mitchell with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Taylor Buie added 19 points and Kenya Samone' Dixon scored 16 points. The Blazers shot 40 percent from the field, 42 percent (8-19) form long range, and 86 percent (12-14) from the free throw line.
Up next for Union a road game at the University of West Alabama, Thursday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. Listen on 93.1 FM or online atwww.uuathletics.com/live.
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