JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball team posted at 71-67 win over Delta State University Thursday evening at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Union improved to 16-1 overall and 8-1 in the Gulf South Conference. Delta State dropped to 10-6 on the season and 5-4 in league play. 

Union is ranked No. 7 in the latest WBCA poll and No. 9 in the D2SDIA Media poll. The Lady Bulldogs remain tied atop the GSC standings with Lee, who also won its game tonight. 

In a game very similar to Union's 71-65 come-from-behind win at Delta State back on December 17, the Lady Bulldogs again had to climb out of a double-figure deficit in the second half.

Delta State scored first in the game and Union answered to tied the game at 2-2. However, Delta State took the lead and maintained its lead for the remainder of the half. DSU went into halftime leading 36-26, after leading by as many as 11 points in the first half. 

The Lady Statesmen again pushed there lead to 11 points with eight minutes left in the third quarter. Union cut its deficit to four points a few times, but after a 3-pointer from Delta State, Union was back down by nine points, 53-44, with 2:39 left to play in the quarter. Union then began to make shots. Union closed the third quarter on an 8-2 run to get to within three points, 55-52, at the end of the quarter. Union put up 26 points in the third quarter to start the rally. 

In the fourth quarter, Union outscored Delta State 19-12 to complete the rally. Union's Morgan Martin hit a pair of free throws to tie the game for the first time since it was 2-2. On Union's next possession, Tiffany Rechis drained a 3-pointer to give Union its first lead of the game. It was a lead Union never gave up. Union scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to extend its lead seven points, 62-57, with just over five minutes to play. Union was able to extend its lead to the largest of the game at eight points, 67-58, with 2:46 left. 

Delta State kept fighting and following a jumper with one minute left, the Union lead was down to just two points, 67-65. Union was able to hit 4-of-5 free throws in the final minute to seal the win, 71-67. 

Union shot 50 percent from the field in the second half, scoring 45 of its 71 points in the final 20 minutes. Union was led by Jada Smith with 17 points and Jada Perkins with 15 points. Martin added 14 points and a team-high six rebounds. Smith and Perkins led with four assists each. Union shot 42 percent from the field, 30 percent (6-20) from long range, and 77 percent (23-30) from the free throw line. 

Delta State was led by Quantesha Patterson and Nia Johnson with 17 points each. Frederica Haywood added 14 points, while Aliyah Herod scored 10 points. Patterson recorded a double-double with 14 points. The Lady Statesmen shot 47 percent from the field, 25 percent (3-12) from 3-point range, and 77 percent (10-13) from the free throw line. 

Up next for Union will be a home game, Saturday, January 19 at 2 p.m. versus Mississippi College. 

-UNION-