BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Union University women's basketball team fell 68-62 Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the 2019 Gulf South Conference Tournament. Top-seeded Union dropped to 27-3 on the season. Fifth-seeded Valdost State improved to 21-9 overall. 

Union will still advance to the NCAA D2 National  Tournament next week, while Valdosta State is playing for an at-large bid. 

Union's Jada Smith opened the GSC semifinals with a jumper to start the game. Union went up 8-4 early with two baskets from Smith and two from Morgan Martin. Valdosta State responded with a 7-0 run to take its first lead 11-8. With the game tied 13-13 late in the quarter, Avree Carptenter hit Union's first 3-pointer of the game to give Union the 16-3 lead after one quarter of play. 

VSU scored the first basket of the second quarter but Union maintained the lead early. Smith's layup for Union with 4:29 left in the half gave the Lady Bulldogs their largest lead of the game 23-18. Union extended its lead to 25-18 after a pair of free throws from Martin. Carpenter hit her third 3-pointer of the half between a pair of VSU 3-pointers. However, Union was able to hold a 30-24 lead at the half. 

Smith led Union 10 points. The Lady Bulldogs hit 3-of-6 from long range in the first half, all three makes coming from Carpenter. 

VSU scored the first eight points of the third quarter to take a 32-30 lead. Union finally got on the board with a pair of free throws from Carpenter with 7:20 left in the quarter. Union did not hit its first field goal of the quarter until Smith's layup with 3:34 left. VSU answered with a 3-pointer go go up by five points, 39-34, with 3.11 left. With just over two minutes left, Smith it her first three pointer of the game to put Union to within two points, 41-39. VSU's Kayla Bonilla hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute of the quarter to put her team up 51-40 entering the fourth. VSU shot over 60 percent from the field in the third quarter. 

Union scored first in the fourth quarter, but not until over a minute had passed. Carpenter cut the deficit to single digits with a layup. Union cut the deficit to six points, 52-46, with 6:42 left following back-to-back baskets from Martin and Smith. VSU pushed back up by 10 points  with a pair of free throws with 2:43 left. Union got baskets from Miracle Gray and Smith, then a steal and two free throws from Carpenter cut the deficit to just four points, 59-55. Two free throws from VSU and then a running jumper from Smith and the score was 61-57 Blazers with just 57 second left. 

After VSU went up by five on a free throw, Union ran a play for Tiffany Rechis and the senior hit her first of the game to cut the deficit to just two points, 62-60 with 36 second left. VSU hit two free throws to go up 64-60 with 35 second left. A steal by VSU's Bonilla and a pair of free throws gave her team the six point lead. The teams swapped free throws and VSU earned the upset, 68-62. 

Union was led by Smith with 25 points and Carpenter with 17 points. Morgan Martin finished with nine points and seven rebounds. Union shot 39 percent from the field, 26 percent (5-19) from 3-point range, and 65 percent (13-20) from the free throw line. 

Valdosta State was led by Bonilla with 30 points and Franklin with 10 points. The Blazers shot 34 percent from the field, 28 percent (9-32) from long range, and 70 percent (21-30) from the free throw line. 

Jada Smith was named to the GSC All-Tournament Team. 

Up next for Union will be the NCAA D2 National Tournament. The location and seeds for the regional round will be Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com. 

-UNION-