JACKSON, Tenn.-No. 10 Union made nine of its first 10 three-pointers as they won 96-56 over the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs Thursday night in the final regular-season game for both teams.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• Union (26-2, 20-2 GSC) opened the game with back-to-back three-pointers by Chelsea Bodiford and Kelsey Risner as they took a lead they would never relinquish. A Jada Perkins triple capped the game-opening run that gave Union an 11-2 lead with 7:24 remaining in the first half.
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Samantha Reeves (Somerville, Tenn./Fayette Academy) scored back-to-back baskets to bring the Lady Bucs (11-15, 9-13) within 11-6.
• After missing a three-pointer between Reeves baskets, Union made its next six, using them to go on a 32-7 run that gave them a 45-15 edge on a pair of Jada Smith free throws with 5:00 remaining in the second quarter. Union finished the first half 11-of-13 from beyond the arc.
• The Lady Bulldogs put the score completely out of reach with a 20-0 run in the third quarter, capped by a Risner three-pointer that gave them a 75-29 lead with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter.
KEY STATS:• Reeves led the Lady Bucs with 16 points, five rebounds and two steals.
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Ashley Schaefer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) added 14 points, making 6-of-8 shots from the field.
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Samantha Price (Memphis, Tenn./MHEA) scored nine points in 23 minutes off the bench, making 3-of-7 three-pointers.
• The Lady Bucs shot 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the field, including 24.0 percent (6-of-25) from three-point range.
• Union shot 59.6 percent (34-of-57) overall, including 68 percent (17-of-25) from beyond the arc.
• The Lady Bulldogs out-rebounded CBU 41-19, including a 10-6 edge in offensive rebounds, but they committed 12 turnovers to the Lady Bucs' six.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs will open the VisitSpaceCoast.com Gulf South Conference Championships as the No. 7 seed Tuesday night as they visit Delta State, who clinched the No. 2 seed with a 64-42 win at Mississippi College Thursday night. The winner will advance to the GSC semifinals Friday afternoon at Samford University in Homewood, Ala., where they will face the winner between No. 3 seed Shorter and No. 6 seed Alabama Huntsville. The championship game is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.
