Union Dominates Paint in Win Over Bluefield
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bluefield (VA) (1-8, 1-3) | 26 | 51 | 77 |
|
Union Commonwealth (3-7, 2-2) | 30 | 53 | 83 |
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – Union Commonwealth University's men's basketball team (3-7, 2-2 AAC) defeated Bluefield (1-8, 1-3 AAC) Wednesday night at Robsion Arena, 83-77.
Redshirt junior forward Kaleb Hedgepeth led the Bulldogs offensively, going 11-of-14 from the field and scoring a career-high 26 points.
Junior center Ali Sakho added 16, redshirt junior Drew Rhodes had 13, senior forward Dallas Rufus scored 12, and sophomore guard Jabari Covington rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
The Bulldogs made only three 3-pointers in the game, with nearly all of their 29 two-point baskets coming in the paint.
First Half: Union Commonwealth 30, Bluefield 26
Bluefield opened the scoring with an early basket before Union tied it and took a 6-4 lead. The teams traded scores throughout the half, but Union consistently stayed in front, stretching its lead between four and six points until taking a 30-26 advantage into halftime.
Second Half: Union Commonwealth 83, Bluefield 77
Bluefield came out strong after halftime, tying the game at 39-39 by outscoring Union 13-9 with 16:56 left. The Bulldogs regained the lead following a Bluefield timeout and pushed it to 48-42 after a free throw by Dallas Rufus. The Rams trimmed the deficit to 48-46 at the 14:01 mark, and both sides continued to trade baskets until Union held a 60-58 edge with 8:11 remaining.
Union responded with a 9-4 run, taking a 71-61 lead after an Ali Sakho free throw with 4:05 left. The Bulldogs maintained a 10-point cushion at 77-67 before Bluefield rallied with an 11-3 run to pull within 80-77 with 14 seconds remaining. Bluefield's Elijah White missed a game-tying 3-pointer with five seconds left, and Drew Rhodes hit a free throw to make it 81-77. Kaleb Hedgepeth sealed the win with a statement dunk in the final seconds, closing the game at 83-77.
To see the Baymont Inn Player of the Game, click here.
Up Next
The Bulldogs travel to Benjamin F. Brady Arena in Cleveland, Ga., on Dec. 6 to take on Truett McConnell. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
