Men's basketball runs AAC streak to 25, grits out win over Montreat

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - The Union men's basketball team hasn't lost a conference game since dropping a 68-64 final to Montreat on Feb. 3 of last year.

The ninth-ranked Bulldogs made sure there would be no encore when the Cavaliers came back to town Tuesday night.

Four Union players scored in double figures and the Bulldogs grinded through a slow, foul-heavy game, stretching their Appalachian Athletic Conference win streak to 25 games with an 84-77 win at Robsion Arena.

Despite featuring the AAC's top-two scoring offenses, the game was hardly a track meet. And while Terrin Hamilton had a great first half, scoring 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, the rest of the offense struggled, going 6-of-29 and facing a 36-33 deficit going into halftime.

In a second half that featured 32 foul calls, both teams struggled to get into rhythm, though the Bulldogs eventually took control eight minutes in. After helping Union take a 52-51 lead on an alley-oop pass to Josh Falls, Markelle Turner was fouled and connected on 1-of-2 free throws on the following possession.

After missing the second free throw, Turner, who had yet to make a field goal to that point, swung the momentum the Bulldogs' way when a battled ball landed in his arms. He stepped back for a clean look from behind the 3-point line and hit nothing but net, extending the lead to 56-51.

Union never trailed again, even stretching the lead to 10 points before the Cavaliers cut it to 71-68 with 3:30 to play. But Hamilton, who led all players with 24 points, hit a jumper on the ensuing possession, and following a stop, Deonte Douglas made a great cross-court pass to Anton Mozga, who made an open 3 to make it 76-68, as the Bulldogs proceeded to close the game out at the foul line.

Douglas finished with 15 points, going a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line. Turner scored all 13 of his points in the second half and had six assists, while Markelo Sullivan added 11. Mozga pulled down 12 rebounds, going over double-digit boards for the third straight game and ninth time this season.

The Bulldogs will now start a two-game road stretch, beginning with a 7:30 matchup at Bryan on Thursday.