MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Union University men's basketball team won 61-49 Saturday at Christian Brothers University. Union improved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the Gulf South Conference. Christian Brothers dropped to 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in league play.
Union knocked off CBU a day earlier 74-70 in overtime.
Union head coach
David Niven said, "I am proud of our team. Back-to-back games are new for everybody and certainly bring about some challenges particularly when we go on the road. I thought we played very hard and had multiple guys step up each game. On Friday, Tyree, Hunter, and Jeremiah led the way. But today, JT,
JC Clausi, and
JC Hawkins really carried us. This team will get better and better but I think this weekend is a great start to the season."
All eight players scored in the game for Union, led by
JC Clausi with 16 points. The red-shirt sophomore was 4-of-8 from long range to spark the Bulldogs. Newcomers
Justin Debuck and
Hunter Vick added 12 and 10 points respectively.
Union dominated the turnover battle, forcing 18 miscues by the Bucs while committing just five turnovers in the game.
Union led for most of the first half including a 10-point lead, 32-22 at the 4:27 mark following a pair of free throws from
JC Hawkins. The Bulldog held a slim 32-28 lead at the half.
In the second half, CBU got as close a 1 point, 36-35, with 15:59 left to play. Union responded with a 13-3 run over the next four minutes to take an 11-point lead, 49-38.
CBU got as close as four points late, but Union was able to stretch the lead out to as many as 14 points in the final minutes of play, 61-47, with 1:15 left to play.
Union shot 36 percent from the field, 38 percent (11-29) from 3-point range, and 63 percent (12-19) from the free-throw line. Union was outrebounded 40-30.
Christian Brothers was led by Christian Jones with 10 points. The Bucs shot 39 percent from the field, 37 percent (7-19) from long range, and 67 percent (2-3) from the foul line.
Up next for Union is a couple of home games versus Alabama Huntsville, Friday, December 18 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, December 19 at 3 p.m. Visit
www.uuathletics.com/tickets to purchase tickets or
www.uuathletics.com/live to watch/listen online.
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