JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University women's basketball teams defeated Auburn University Montgomery 88-63 at Fred DeLay Gymnasium/David Blackstock Court. Union improved to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the Gulf South Conference. Auburn Montgomery dropped to 4-8 on the season and 3-6 in league play. 

Union head coach Mark Campbell said, "I thought we did a very good job of adjusting our trap. We need to reduce our turnovers, but we did some good things with scoring 88 points despite the turnovers. I proud of how we finished today, with the execution. If we keep getting better at execution, we have the chance to be better by the end of the year."

Union scored the first four points of the game, but Auburn Montgomery rattled off a 9-0 run to take the lead. AUM held a slim lead for the remainder of the quarter including 17-16 at the end of one. Union's Leah Church hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the first quarter to pull Union to within one. AUM led one last time, 19-18, early in the second quarter before Union took the lead for good on a 3-pointer from Shanique Lucas. That 3-pointer started an 11-0 run for Union to push its lead to double figures. Union outscored AUM 23-11 in the second quarter to lead 39-28 at the half. 

Union dominated the third quarter also, outscoring AUM 24-13, and held its largest to this point in the game, 63-41 at the end of the third quarter. Union posted a 17-2 run midway through the third quarter. 

Both teams posted their highest scoring periods of the game in the fourth quarter as Union won the quarter 25-23. Union extended its lead to as many as 25 points including the 88-63 final. 

Union dominated the boards and outrebounded AUM 40-29. Union scored 28 points off 20 AUM turnovers, but also committed 25 turnovers in the win. 

Union was led by Shanique Lucas with 18 points and nine rebounds. Leah Cauble and Leah Church added 14 points. Church was 4-of-8 from 3-point range in her season high performance. Naomi Van Ness added 13 points, a second straight game to reach a career high for Van Ness. Lauren West added 10 points. The Lady Bulldogs shot 53 percent from the field, including 64 percent in both the second and fourth quarters. Union shot 36 percent (12-33) from 3-point range and 82 percent (14-17) from the free throw line. 

AUM was led by Hambright with 17 points and Moore with 10 points. The Warhawks shot 38 percent from the field, 10 percent (2-20) from 3-point range, and 85 percent (11-13) from the foul line. 

Union is off until after Christmas when the Lady Bulldogs host Lane December 29 at 6 p.m.

-UNION-