Union’s men’s and women’s basketball teams advance to regionals after taking second and first place respectively at the GSC tournament in Birmingham, Ala. on March 6.
The women’s team has remained nearly undefeated throughout their season, with a record of 26-2, and will host the regional tournament. Winning their GSC tournament against Lee University 58-44, they are now the No. 1 seed in the NCAA National Tournament South Region, and the favorite to win the NCAA D2 South Region Tournament occurring at Union March 11, 12 and 14.
They will be competing against 8-seed Savannah State University, which finished runner-up in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a record of 27-2.
Graduate student Ashtyn Baker commented on the team’s victory.
“There was excitement, and we were super happy because we’d put in all this hard work, but at the same time it’s like, ‘That’s great, but now we have an even bigger goal to work towards.’”
The women’s basketball team has played in the NCAA D2 National Tournament seven times and won in 2018.
This is the first time the men’s team has appeared in a GSC title game. Coming in runner-up to the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a score of 86-72, the Bulldogs are now the No. 4 seed in the 2022 NCAA D2 National Tournament South Region. They currently have a record of 23-8 and will travel to Florida for regionals on March 12, playing against Miles College.
Miles College is No. 5 seed and earned an at-large bid to the national tournament.
GSC player of the year, senior Tyree Boykin, spoke on the team’s journey and emotions as they near regionals.
“It was kind of a roller coaster––we worked so hard to get to the championship game,” Boykin said. “This is our first time being here at this point. So I mean, especially me, I’m excited to be here.”
Players on both the men’s and women’s teams cited tight bonds between teammates as an important factor in their playing.
“Being a part of this team, you can genuinely tell that everyone enjoys being around each other,” Baker said. “The chemistry is probably the best––is definitely the best––of any team I’ve ever been on. And that definitely translates onto the court, because we all have each other’s best interests at heart. So then when you go out, I’m not only doing my job for myself, but I’m doing it because I love these girls that are out here with me.”
“We have a lot of talent, and our connectedness––us being together is really the main thing,” Boykin said.
Starting on March 11 for the women’s team and March 12 for the men’s, the teams must win each game they play in order to stay in the tournament. The players are looking ahead to regionals with cautious optimism, firm in their belief that their team has the skills necessary to win.
“We’ve got 10 legit guys on our team that could not only play, but start at any other team in our conference,” Boykin said. “So, to make it to the championship is a step in the right direction. We’re not satisfied, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
“Anything can happen,” Baker said. “We’re confident in who we are, but I think we’re aware enough that if you get too far outside that confidence, that’s when it’s really easy to take for granted the teams you’re playing. Everyone, at this point, is good. I know we’re confident, but at the same time, we know how we have to play. We have to set the standard.”
Photo by Union University Athletics.
