Jackson, TN- From the opening tip, it was clear this one was going to be a fight all the way through. Christian Brothers and Union traded baskets early, with neither side able to create real separation as the lead changed hands repeatedly and the scoreboard stayed tight. Every run was met with a response, and every big shot seemed to be answered on the very next possession.

The first half set the tone for what would follow. Union held a slim 31–30 edge at the break, but it felt like a dead-even game in every sense. Christian Brothers attacked the paint and pushed the pace, while Union countered with timely shots and second-chance opportunities. Five ties and multiple lead changes before halftime told the story of a game that refused to tilt in either direction.

That back-and-forth rhythm continued into the second half. Christian Brothers briefly surged ahead behind strong inside play and transition buckets, only for Union to respond with clutch free throws and timely scores to pull even again. The teams were tied deep into the half, and the lead never grew beyond a possession or two. Every trip down the floor carried weight, and the tension inside the gym rose with each whistle and rebound.

Even as the clock wound down, neither team blinked. Christian Brothers stayed within striking distance, matching Union basket for basket and forcing the game to come down to execution in the final minutes. Union ultimately edged ahead just enough to survive, closing out a 76–74 win, but the margin hardly reflected how close it truly was.

In the end, this wasn't about dominance, it was about resilience. For nearly forty minutes, the game swung back and forth with no clear favorite, and it wasn't decided until the very end. It was the kind of contest where one possession could have flipped the outcome, and both teams walked away knowing just how thin the line was between winning and losing.