On Thursday, Feb. 25 the men’s and women’s basketball teams were victorious over Christian Brothers University.
The Union University men’s basketball team finished the regular season Thursday night by bringing home a 75-62 win against CBU.
Within the first minute of the game, Union’s Marterrace Brock, junior guard and sports management major, hit a three pointer, however Christian Brothers was able to push ahead, leading 18-10 with 12:17 remaining in the first half. At halftime, Union led by one point, 35-34.
The second half of the game began with another three-pointer, this time from Christian Brothers, giving them a 37-35 advantage. Shortly after, Jordan Montgomery, junior guard and political science major, made a three-pointer which gave Union the lead for the remainder of the game.
“I think after Saturday’s heart breaker against Huntsville, many teams would’ve quit,” Montgomery said. “That wasn’t the case for us. The the one thing I admire about our team is our will to continue to fight. I think as long as there is time on the clock we have a chance to win.”
Union finished the game shooting 77 percent at the free throw line and 52 percent from behind the arc.
For the second time this season, the Bulldogs hit over half the shots they took, shooting 52 percent from the field.
Brock led the Bulldogs with 20 points and six rebounds while Corieon Pearson, senior guard and business management major, supplemented 17 points and seven assists. Roy Bullock, junior guard and exercise science major, also scored 12 points.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season with a record of 19-9 and a 13-9 Gulf South Conference mark. The Bucs dropped to a season record of 15-11 and 12-10 in the GSC. The win places the Bulldogs as the No. 5 seed in the GSC Tournament which begins Tuesday, March 3.
The Union University women’s basketball team took home a 73-61 win from Christian Brothers University as well, providing the team with their eighth consecutive win to close out the regular season.
The game began with a three-pointer from Christian Brothers, but Union’s Amber Rechis, senior guard and exercise science major, and Amy Philamlee, senior guard and exercise science major, responded with two quick three-pointers of their own. The teams went back and forth over the first half, but ultimately gave Union a halftime lead of 36-34. In the second half Union took over the game, leading by as much as 16 points at one time.
Union’s Kelsey Risner, junior guard and exercise science major anticipated the game would be a great challenge.
“We knew going into this game that CBU would probably be really motivated since it was going to be their last game,” Risner said. “We knew that we really needed to come out and play on our best in order to finish our regular season with a win!”
Union’s Philamlee, the reigning conference and national player of the week, scored 28 points and had six assists. Rechis finished with 17 points including five three-pointers. DeAnna Thompson, senior forward and physical education major, posted her 11th double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Union shot 79 percent (15-19) from the free throw line, 44 percent from the field and 27 percent (8-20) from 3-point range.
Union, listed as 7/16 in the two national polls, improved to 23-3 on the season record and finished 19-3 in the GSC. CBU dropped to an 8-20 overall record and 6-16 record in league play.
The Lady Bulldogs will play the #8 seed for the first round of the GSC tournament at Union on Tuesday, March 3.
