JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball team lost to the University of North Alabama ,78-72, Saturday afternoon at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union, ranked No. 10 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 4 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, dropped to 21-2 on the season and 14-1 in the Gulf South Conference. North Alabama, ranked No. 20 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 14 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, improved to 20-2 overall and 13-2 in league play. 

The loss snapped a 16 game winning streak for the Lady Bulldogs. It also snapped a 17 game home winning streak and a 17 game GSC regular season winning streak. 

Union'sTiffany Rechis, Chelsey Shumpert, and AnnaLea Little scored from beyond the arc to spark Union to a 15-4 lead five minutes into the game. Bria Gaines hit a layup late in the first quarter to put Union of by 12, 21-9, at the end of the first quarter. At the 4:26 mark of the second quarter, Union had their largest lead of the game of 19 points after hitting three more 3-pointers. North Alabama finished the second quarter with seven unanswered points, closing Union's lead to 34-22. 

Savannah Stults opened the second half for North Alabama with a shot from beyond the arc, but Gaines responded with a quick layup. At the 4:16 mark, the Lions started to close the gap with six unanswered points. Shumpert ended the third quarter with a pair of free throws to keep Union ahead by four, 56-52. North Alabama finally caught Union and tied the game 57-57, early in the fourth quarter, then took a brief lead, 60-57 on a 3-pointer from Stults. Union then responded with a 15-2 run to lead 72-64, seeming regaining control with 3:29 left in the game. 

However, North Alabama scored 14 unanswered points over the final 3:29 of the game. Emma Wallen banked in a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to give UNA the lead for good, 74-72. The Lions made all four free throws in the final seconds to seal the win. 

Sara Lytle led Union with 20 points and seven rebounds. Shumpert had 17 points, Gaines had 14 points, and Rechis added 13 points. Jada Perkins had 12 assists. Union was 39 percent (26-66) from the field, 27 percent (9-33) from three-point range, and 61 percent (11-18) from the free throw line. 

North Alabama was led by Brittany Panetti with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Kenysha Coulson had 17 points and seven assists, and Emma Wallen has 16 points. UNA was 46 percent (26-56) from the field, 40 percent (9-22) from three-point range, and 77 percent (17-22) from the foul line. 

Up next for Union is a game at Lee University Thursday, February 8 at 5:00 p.m. Listen on 93.1 FM or online at www.uuathletics.com/live. 

-UNION-