Cox ties 3-point record, Carr gets first win as WBB coach

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On a night where he earned his first win as a college head coach, Aleka Carr's players managed to steal the spotlight from him.

Madison Cox tied a program record by hitting eight 3-pointers, and Union outscored Johnson 28-15 in the fourth quarter to snag a 78-74 win for its rookie coach in an Appalachian Athletic Conference women's basketball thriller on Tuesday.

Cox tied a mark previously set by J'Lyn Martin and Susanna Todd. Martin hit eight triples against Tennessee Wesleyan in 2020, while Todd did it against Montreat in 2007.

Her final long-distance shot of the night may have been her most impactful, as it pulled Union, which trailed 59-50 entering the final period, within a point at 64-63 with 5:31 to play.

The play also gave Gracie Jervis a ninth assist. Just 40 seconds later, she got another to cap a 17-point, 10-assist double-double, connecting with LeAsia Linton for a 3-pointer to put the Bulldogs ahead 66-64. Linton also finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points while leading all players with 13 rebounds.

After falling behind 69-67, another triple, this one by Haley Brock, put the Bulldogs back ahead for good, as Linton would close the game out with a pair of free throws with one second remaining.

It was a far cry from the first three games, where Union hit just 8-of-56 (14.3 percent) from behind the arc. Cox alone equaled that total on Tuesday, as the Bulldogs connected on 16-of-34 attempts as a team.

The Bulldogs, who are now 1-3, get a week to rest before welcoming Kentucky Christian to Robsion Arena on Nov. 15.