CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team defeated Lee University 61-57, Thursday evening at Lee University. Union improved to 10-14 on the season and 4-12 in the Gulf South Conference. Lee dropped to 12-11 overall and 7-9 in conference play.
The win for Union marked their first GSC road win of the season.
Charlie Wilson started the game with an and-one for the Bulldogs. A layup by Lee's Levi Woods gave the Flames the lead for the first time in the ball game at 6-5. Lee extended their lead up eight points. Union went scoreless for two minutes until JC Hawkins stopped the draught with a three at the 11:32 mark. Union scored again at the 8:49 mark, another three, this time from KC Goodwin to bring the Bulldogs within four of Lee, 15-11. Lee pushed ahead again, 19-12, but Union was able to close the gap with a three pointer from Nick Velasquez to go into the locker room down two, 22-20.
Colton Blevins hit a jumper for Lee, but Tyree Boykin answered with a three to shorten the Flame's lead to one. Union tied the score at 26 with another three from Boykin. The teams scored back-to-back, Velasquez hit another three to tie the ball game at 35-35. Lee hit a free throw to go up by one, but Union finally took the lead back by a layup from Goodwin. The teams tied again at 39, but a three from Boykin gave Union the lead for good.
Union led by as many as seven points three different times in the final 10 minutes, including 52-45 with 7:22 left following a 3-pointer from Boykin. Lee responded to cut the lead down to just one points, 56-55, with 3:07 left to play. Union outscored Lee 5-2 over the final three minutes, including 3-for-4 from the foul line to seal the win.
Union was led by Wilson with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Velasquez added 16 points with four 3-pointers and Boykin scored 12 points on four 3-pointers. Union shot 48 percent from the 3-point range (10-21) and 42 percent from the field (23-55). The Bulldogs were just 45 percent (5-11) from the charity stripe. Union was out rebounded 35-29, but committed just 11 turnovers to 14 from Lee.
Lee was led by Woods with 12 points and Cody Jones with 10 points. Lee shot 50 percent from the three (5-10) and 43 percent from the field (23-54).
Up next for Union is another road game at Shorter University, Saturday, February 10 at 3:00 p.m. Listen on 93.1 FM or online at www.uuathletics.com/live.
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