JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team posted an 84-79 win over No. 9 Valdosta State University Monday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium, David Blackstock Court. Union improved 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the Gulf South Conference. Valdosta State dropped to 4-1 on the season and 1-1 in league play.
Union's
Tyree Boykin led all scorers with 30 points including 6-of-12 from three-point range.
Valdosta opened the game with a 9-2 run in just over two minutes. Union answered with a 13-0 run and led 15-9 with 12:50 left in the first half. Union continued to add to its lead and led by as many as eight points in the first half, 21-13. But Valdosta answered with an 11-2 run and regained the lead. VSU led again by eight points, before taking a 38-32 advantage into the locker room.
In the second half, Union trialed 44-41 at the 16:17 mark. Union's
Cooper Meadows hit a 3-pointer that started an 18-0, jumping out to the largest lead of the night, 59-44, with 11:46 left.
But again, the nationally-ranked Blazers proved their grit as they chipped away at the Union lead. With 3:11 left, a dunk from Bryce Smith gave VSU a brief 74-73 lead. Union Boykin answered with a 3-pointer to put Union in the lead for good. Union jumped up by five three different times in the final three minutes including the 84-79 final.
In the final three minutes of play, Union was 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line to seal the win.
Boykin's 30 led four Union players in double figures.
Terrandus Smith scored 17 points, while
Cooper Meadows and
LiDonta Hicks-Gentry added 11 points each. Boykin, Smith, Meadows, and
Tylandrius Parks all led Union with six rebounds each. The Bulldogs shot 49 percent from the field, 50 percent (16-32) from long range, and 91 percent (10-11) from the free throw line.
Valdosta State was led by Cam Hamilton with 19 points. A pair of Blazers recorded double-doubles including Darrell Jones with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Clay Guillozet with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Blazers shot 41 percent from the field, 29 percent (8-28) from 3-point range, and 72 percent (13-18) from the foul line.
Up next for Union will be a home game following an 8-day Thanksgiving Break. Union will host Fisk, Tuesday, December 3 at 7 p.m.
-UNION-