JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball defeated Embry-Riddle University 74-59 in the NCAA D2 National Championships Region semifinal game. The Lady Bulldogs, the top seed and host for the third time in four years, improve to 30-3 overall. The 30 wins for Union is a season high since joining NCAA D2 in 2012-13. The last time Union won 30-plus games was 2011-12, their final season of NAIA play. Fourth seeded Embry-Riddle finished their season 24-8. Union is ranked No. 14 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 6 in the D2SIDA Media Poll.

Union improved to 4-2 in NCAA National Tournament games, including 2-0 in semifinal games. Union makes their second trip to the region championship game. Union lost as the No. 1 seed to second seeded Nova Southeastern 67-62 in 2015. Union will face GSC foe and 7-seed Valdosta State Monday night at 7 p.m. for the region title and a trip to the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, S.D. Union defeated Valdosta State 82-66 at home in their only meeting of this season. 

Union head coach Mark Campbell said of the region semifinal win, "JP and Chelsey have done a great job of handling the ball tonight and all year. We were patient on offense for most of the night. Embry-Riddle is well coached and it was a tough matchup all night long. Our guards hit some keys shots and important times in the game. Now, we get at least two more days to be together as a team. This has been a remarkable group, very enjoyable, and when it is like that, you want it to last as long as possible." 

Embry-Riddle started the game with back-to-back lay ups from Tara Fields. Chelsey Shumpert's lay up put Union on the board at the 8:42 minute mark, followed by a 3-pointer from Shumpert to give Union their first lead at 5-4. Embry-Riddle led one more time 6-5 after another layup from Fields. Then Shumpert and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers then hit back-to-back 3-pointers for Union. Union never trailed again in the game. Union extended their lead to double figures, 23-13 after a 3-pointer from Emily Beard. Union hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter and Union and led 23-15 after one quarter. For the second quarter, Union's lead remained between eight and 11 points for the entire quarter. Union led by 11 points, 37-26, at the half.  

Union continued a 7-0 run started at the end of the first half to push their lead out to 15 points, 41-26. But Embry-Riddle responded with a 6-0 run to get the deficit back to single digits. But it was Union going back up by 12 points by the end of the third quarter, 55-43. Union match their largest lead of the game, 15 points, with a 63-48 lead following a 3-point play from Sara Lytle with 6:37 left. But again, Embry-Riddle rallied with an 8-0 run to get as close as seven points. Then Tiffany Rechis scored five of the next seven points for Union including a 3-pointer with 1:54 left to put Union back up by 14 points, 70-56. Union was perfect from the free throw line in the final minute to set the final at 74-59. 

Union was led by Shumpert with 23 points. Lytle added 13 points. Bria Gains and Beard each added nine points. Jada Perkins finished with nine rebounds and eight assists. Union shot 44 percent from the field, 43 percent (9-21) from 3-point range, and 75 percent (15-20). 

Shumpert is now just two points away from tying the GSC single season scoring mark of 790 points in a season. Ironically, it is held by a former Union Lady Bulldog, Amy Philamlee, who scored 790 points in the 2014-15 season. Shumpert currently sits at 788 points this season. She would move into second place on Union's single season scoring list, behind former national player of the year, Stephanie Clark, who scored 835 in 2004-05 for Union. Union did not join the GSC until 2012-13. 

Embry-Riddle was led by Field with 19 points and Ackermann with nine points, all on three 3-pointers. The Eagles shot 42 percent from the field, 17 percent (4-24) from long range, and 58 percent (11-19) from the foul line. 

-UNION-