Turner, newcomer Sullivan keep men's basketball perfect in AAC
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tennessee Wesleyan (8-2, 7-2) | 35 | 41 | 76 |
|
Union (11-1, 9-0) | 45 | 41 | 86 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tennessee Wesleyan (8-2, 7-2) | 35 | 41 | 76 |
|
Union (11-1, 9-0) | 45 | 41 | 86 |
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Still unbeaten in conference play and ranked 17th nationally, the Union men's basketball team seemingly wasn't in need of a secret weapon it could unleash on the rest of the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
But after a sparkling debut Saturday, the Bulldogs appear to have found one in Markelo Sullivan.
Sullivan and two-time defending AAC Player of the Year Markelle Turner both scored 27 points and the Bulldogs improved to 9-0 in AAC play, pulling away from second-place Tennessee Wesleyan for a critical 86-76 win at Robsion Arena Saturday.
With no film to help prepare, TWU, which entered the day one game behind Union in the AAC standings, had no answer for Sullivan, who got the start in his first ever game at Union. Displaying next level athleticism on both ends, he routinely disrupted passing lanes, crashed the glass and got to the rim with ease, recording 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the first half to help Union take a 45-35 lead into halftime.
TWU came out on fire in the second half, at one point hitting six shots in a row and eventually tying the score at 49, before Markelle and Markelo helped swing the momentum back to the home team.
Turner, who scored 17 in the second half, gave Union the lead for good at 54-51 on a 3-pointer, then teamed with his new running mate for the night's most electrifying play on the next possession. After chasing down a loose ball, Turner got just in front of half court and lobbed a perfect pass to Sullivan, who delivered a ferocious slam dunk.
The pair finished the night 22-of-34 from the field, including an absurd 19-of-23 from 2-point range. Turner did far more than score as well, as he also led all players with 11 rebounds and six assists.
Dating back to last season, Union has won 22 consecutive games against AAC opponents. Done with the 2022 portion of the schedule, the Bulldogs now have 23 days to rest before returning to action when they host St. Andrews on Jan. 3 at approximately 7:30 p.m.