Union College is making it routine to rallying from double-digit deficits as it pulled out a 69-68 Appalachian Athletic Conference victory over visiting Bryan College Saturday.
"I really hope we don't keep making a habit of this," said Union coach Sean Gillespie. "It's nice to get the win, but I wish we didn't have to battle back like we have been doing the last two games."
The Bulldogs (3-3 overall, 2-0 AAC) trailed 51-41 with 11:02 to play but used an 18-6 run to grab a 59-57 with 5:45 remaining. Jerome Carmichael (Newport, Tn.) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help fuel the rally.
After Union built a four-point lead, Bryan (5-2 overall, 1-1 AAC) scrapped back to even the score at 61-61 at the 4:29 mark.
Tied at 63-63, Carmichael and Keith Bauer traded treys to make it a 66-66 contest with 3:46 to go.
Payton Ponzer (Independence, Ky.) scored with 1:55 left, and Darrel Jackson (Jonesboro, Ark.) hit 1-of-2 free throws with 33 seconds remaining to lift Union to a 69-66 lead.
Bryan tried to tie the game with a 3-pointer, but all the Lions could muster was a Bauer putback with three seconds to play, making the final 69-68 Union.
Carmichael paced Union with 16 points as he hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Ponzer followed with 15 points, while Beau Brown (Athens, Tn.) chipped in 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double for the season.
"Beau isn't scoring at the pace he did last year at this point, but he's doing other things to contribute," Gillespie said. "He's really improved his all-around game and doing what is necessary to help us win."
Bauer and Scott Newton were pretty much the extent of the Lions' offense as they scored 28 and 20 points, respectively. Newton also hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds.
Union returns to action Tuesday when it plays host to Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) University at 7:30 p.m.
In the women's game, Brooke Smith recorded her second consecutive double-double in guiding Union College to a 68-59 Appalachian Athletic Conference victory over visiting Bryan.
Smith posted 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
Union improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Bryan dropped to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in the AAC.
The Lady Bulldogs pulled out the win despite shooting poorly. Union shot 36.1 percent (13-of-36) in the first half and dropped to 28.1 percent (9-of-32 shots) in the second half to finish with a 32.4 shooting percent (22-of-68 shots) for the game.
On the flip side, Bryan hit 40 percent (20-of-50 shots) from the field, but the Lady Lions turned the ball over 28 times. Union scored 24 points off of Bryan's miscues while committing just 15 turnovers itself.
Union got off to a sluggish start as Bryan built a 21-7 lead by the 11:57 mark. However, Union closed out the half on a 30-10 surge to take a 37-31 lead at the break. Smith scored 16 points in the first half alone.
In the second half, the Lady Bulldogs could not pull away, but the Lady Lions could not make a run at the lead. Union led by as much as 13 points (60-47 with 6:41 left), but
Bryan could get no closer than eight points (65-57 with 2:30 remaining).
Four Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures. After Smith, Kara Pile (Fairdale, Ky.) led the way with 14 points, while Capri Savage (Orofino, Idaho) had 11. Courtney Thomas (Glasgow, Ky.) chipped in 10. Although she didn't score, Ashley Lunsford (Orlando, Ky.) dished out eight assists.
Bethany McArthur paced Bryan with 14 points, while Anna Thomas contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lady Lions dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lady Bulldogs 47-33. Bryan entered the game averaging just over 53 rebounds per game.
The Lady Bulldogs return to action Nov. 28 at Pikeville (Ky.) College. Game time is set for 2 p.m.