The Union University men’s basketball team lost 76-74 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville Monday afternoon. Union dropped to 8-6 overall and 7-3 in the Gulf South Conference. Alabama Huntsville improved to 13-3 overall and 8-2 in league play.
The game featured two of the five teams in a tie for first place in the GSC standings with 7-2 league records entering play. This was also a rematch of last season’s GSC Tournament Title game, Union’s first ever appearance in the championship game, where UAH got the win.
Leading by four at the break, 38-34, UAH opened the second half with a 14-3 run to hold its largest lead of the night at 15 points, 52-37. Union still trailed by 13 points with 11:53 left to play, before the rally began. Union cut the deficit to three points with 7:32 left to play11-1 run. UAH quickly pushed the lead back to eight points, but Union did not go away.
Union cut the UAH lead to just two points, 75-73, following a pair of free throws from Tylandruis Parks. UAH then hit 1-of-2 free throws to lead by three points with six seconds left. Union got the ball and before the Bulldogs could get a shot off, UAH fouled Justin Debuck to put him on the free throw line for two shots, instead of a shot to tie the game. Debuck made the first and missed the second on purpose. He got his own rebound with less than a second left, but his put-back attempt rolled off the rim.
UAH opened the game with a 6-0 run, but Union rallied back to lead 7-6. That proved to be Union’s only lead of the night. UAH held no more than an eight point lead in the first half, with the lead hovering between 3-to-5 points most of the time. UAH led 38-34 at the break.
Union was led by Jalen Johnson with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from 3-point range. Tylandrius Parks, the reigning GSC and NCAA D2 National Player of the Week added 18 points and eight rebounds. Boe Nguidjol led with 10 rebounds. Union shot 41 percent from the field, 41 percent (15-37) from long range, and 68 percent (15-22) from the foul line.
Alabama Huntsville was led by CJ Williamson with 18 points, Luke Burnett added 16 points, and Tanner Shulman scored 11 points. The Chargers shot 45 percent from the field, 39 percent (9-23) from long range, and 74 percent (17-23) from the free throw line.
Union returns home this coming for GSC meetings with Shorter Thursday and Lee Saturday.
