JACKSON, Tenn. – The Union University women’s basketball team posted a 78-69 win over the University of Montevallo Friday night at Fred DeLay Gymnasium/David Blackstock Court. Union, ranked No. 20 in the WBCA poll and receiving votes in the D2SIDA Media poll, improved to 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the Gulf South Conference. Montevallo dropped to 3-9 on the season, and 3-5 in league play.
Union opened the game with a 10-0 run with the last five points coming from Shanique Lucas. Montevallo scored its first points of the game at the 5:37 mark. Union Leah Church answered with a 3-pointer to put Union back up by double-figures. Union pushed out to a 23-10 lead by the end of the quarter. In the second quarter, Union extended its lead to as many as 16 points, 36-20 with 1:32 left in the half. Montevallo closed the half on a 6-0 run with two 3-pointers to set its halftime deficit to 36-26.
In the second half, Montevallo continued to cut into the lead. The Falcons outscored Union 10-3 over the first three minutes to cut the deficit to 39-36. Union’s only points in that stretch came from a 3-pointer from Shylee Morrison. Montevallo and Union swapped scoring possessions, Union a free throw and Montevallo back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 42-42 with 5:31 left. Union got a three 3-pointers from Jordan Little and a 3-pointer from Shanique Lucas, sparking a Union run that pushed its lead back to double figures, 59-49 with 1:49 left in the third. After the Falcons scored four straight points, Union closed the quarter with four straight points including a layup in the final seconds to give Union a 63-53 lead entering the fourth.
The teams played even for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter with Union holding the 10-point advantage, 69-59. Montevallo cut the Union lead down to six points four different times down the stretch including 75-69 with just over a minute left to play. Union was 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the final two and a half minutes to seal the win.
Union out rebounded Montevallo 39-30 and both teams recorded 20 turnovers. There were 115 total shots in the game and over half (60) of those were 3-pointers.
Union was led by Shanique Lucas with 23 points. Samariah Thompson added 12 points, while Leah Cauble and Naomi Van Ness added 10 points each. Lucas completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. Union shot 47 percent from the field, 36 percent (10-28) from 3-point range, and 68 percent (14-21) from the free throw line.
Montevallo was led by Snodgrass with 19 points and Grimes with 10 points. The Falcons shot 44 percent from the field, 34 percent (11-32) from long range, and 50 percent (8-16).
