Union Commonwealth Edges Tennessee Wesleyan 57-54
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tennessee Wesleyan (9-12, 8-8) | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 54 |
|
Union Commonwealth (5-16, 4-10) | 8 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 57 |
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Union Commonwealth University's women's basketball team (6-15, 5-9 AAC) defeated Tennessee Wesleyan University (8-13, 7-9 AAC) on Monday night at Robsion Arena, 57-54.
How It Happened
Senior guard Isis Rodgers led Union with 12 points, adding four rebounds and four steals.
Sophomore guard Ella Coffey grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and contributed nine points, three assists, and two steals.
Freshman guard Akeeviah Betts scored nine points, while sophomore center Lindsey Pirkle added eight points and six rebounds.
Freshman forward Kylie Noe finished with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
First Quarter: Union Commonwealth 8, Tennessee Wesleyan 13
Both teams were slow to score early before Tennessee Wesleyan broke through with a 3-pointer midway through the quarter. Union answered with baskets from sophomore point guard Emrey Glover and Pirkle to pull even at 6–6, forcing several turnovers during the stretch behind steals from Rodgers and freshman forward Aymanni Wynn. The Bulldogs continued to battle defensively, but Tennessee Wesleyan closed the period on a late run to carry a 13–8 advantage into the second quarter.
Second Quarter: Union Commonwealth 25, Tennessee Wesleyan 29
Union regained the lead at the 8:12 mark on a layup by Wynn, and the teams traded baskets for much of the remainder of the quarter. Second-chance points from Pirkle and Coffey helped the Bulldogs build a 23–19 advantage with 4:41 remaining. Tennessee Wesleyan responded with an 8–2 run to close the half and carried a 29–25 lead into the break.
Third Quarter: Union Commonwealth 42, Tennessee Wesleyan 43
Tennessee Wesleyan extended its lead early in the third before Union responded with a 5–0 run on layups by Coffey and Noe to trim the deficit. The teams traded baskets through the middle of the quarter, with Wynn and Pirkle scoring for the Bulldogs, and Rodgers' free throws cutting the gap to one at 5:06. Tennessee Wesleyan held a narrow lead down the stretch, but Coffey's 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining brought Union within one, 43–42, heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: Union Commonwealth 57, Tennessee Wesleyan 54
Union tied the game at 43 early in the fourth quarter and took a slim lead on layups from Rodgers and Betts, with Betts adding a three-pointer to make it 52–48. Tennessee Wesleyan stayed close, as Jordan White and Jalaya Lindsey scored to pull within 52–51 late in the period. In the final seconds, Noe scored, and clutch free throws from her and Glover helped the Bulldogs hold on for the win.
Click [here] to view the Baymont Inn Player of the Game.
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will hit the road to face Bryan on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
