JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball team defeated the University of West Alabama Tigers 102-81 at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union ranked, No. 12 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 6 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, improved to 24-2 overall and a 17-1 in the Gulf South Conference. West Alabama dropped to 13-12 overall and 10-8 in league play.
Union's 17 made 3-pointers was the most this season for Union in a GSC game. Union hit 19 3's win back-to-back non-conference wins over Lane and Missouri S&T back in November.
The Tigers jumped out ahead of the Lady Bulldogs in the first three minutes of play with a 7-3 lead. However, Union responded with a 15-0 run to take control of the game and never looked back. The run pushed Union's lead to double figures and the Lady Bulldogs maintained a double figure lead the rest of the way. Union led 28-13 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, leading 31-20, Union posted an 11-0 run that featured bookend 3-pointers from Tiffany Rechis, a three pointer from Emily Beard, and a layup from Bria Gaines. Union led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter before taking a 53-36 lead into the locker room. Beard was 3-3 from the three-point line in the second quarter.
The two teams swapped buckets for most of the third quarter. Union extended their lead to as many as 24 points three times in the third quarter, including 80-56 after a Gaines layup with 53 seconds left. Union led 80-59 at the end of three quarters. Another couple of 3-pointers from Beard in the fourth quarter matched Union's largest lead of 24 points each time. Union coasted to the 102-81 win.
Union was led by freshman
Emily Beard and senior
Bria Gaines with 24 points each. Beard's 24 points was a career high as the Dickson, Tenn. native was 7-of-9 from the 3-point line. Gaines recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds in the game.
Chelsey Shumpert added 22 points, while
Sara Lytle scored 15 points and
Tiffany Rechis added 14 points.
Jada Perkins led the way with 10 assists. Union shot 48 percent from the field, 50 percent (17-34) from long range, and 82 percent (19-23) from the free throw line.
West Alabama was led by Culpepper with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Daniels added 20 points, Field scored 16 points, and Garrett-Hammett added 12 points. The Tigers shot 46 percent from the field, 42 percent (5-12) from 3-point range, and 55 percent (16-29) from the foul line.
Up next for Union will be a game at West Florida Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Listen on 93.1 FM or online at
www.uuathletics.com/live.
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