CLEVELAND, Tenn. – It was a must win game for the Union University men's basketball team. They needed a win to clinch a spot in the Gulf South Conference tournament or their season was done. The Lee University squad did not allow that to happen as the Flame defeated Union 89-81 to end the Bulldogs season. Lee won the final three games of the season and improved their record to 14-12 overall and 11-11 in GSC play. Union ended their season at 11-17, 7-15.
The Flames came out firing in the first few minutes. The first four buckets were all made from long range. Zach Gray made three of them and Tylon Chatman had one as well. They stretch the lead out to 16-5 before UU started to cut away at the deficit. Sam Youngblood led the way for the Bulldogs, and they came all the way back to be tied at 24-24. It remained close until Lee went o a 5-0 run to end the first half and led it 44-36.
UU had control early in the second half. In the first four minutes they had a 10-2 run to tie the game at 46. However, the Flames answered right back with a 9-2 run of their own. The Flames slowly worked it up to their highest lead at 66-52 with ten minutes left to go in the game.
Union refused to go away and made it 76-73 with 4:46 left in the contest. Union got it two a two point game, but two free throws from Tim Vaughn, and a crucial three-point shot from Willie Walton made it 84-79 with one minute left and the Flames held on for a 89-81 win.
Both teams shot the ball very well in the contest. Union was 33-of-57 for 57.9% while Lee was 31-of-56 for 55.4%. The difference was free throws. Lee was 15-of-17 while UU was 6-of-8. Lee also made 12 shots from distance while Union made nine.
Chatman led the way with 23 points, but Gray added 12 and shot 70% from the field. Gray was 5-of-6 from the three-point arc. Wilkins added 13 points and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field. He also made his one free throw.
The Flames will now go to the University of Montevallo on Monday, March 2 for the opening game of the Gulf South Conference tournament. The #7 seed Flames will take on the #2 seed Falcons at 8 PM EST in Montevallo, Ala.
Coach Bubba Smith's Thoughts:
"Proud of the win tonight. I thought we had really good moments in both halves and composure down the stretch. Overall it was a good weekend overall. We are playing some good basketball, and it's a good time to be doing that headed into the tournament."
