Union downs UWA women
Published 9:02 am Monday, January 27, 2014
Union shot 52 percent from behind the three-point arc on the way to an 85-62 Gulf South Conference women’s college basketball victory over West Alabama Saturday at Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
The victory improved the Lady Bulldogs to 12-4 overall and 7-3 in GSC play. West Alabama dropped to 4-12 and 1-9. The Tigers have yet to win on the road in nine outings.
Amy Philamlee scored 22 points to lead Union, which made 18-of-34 from three-point range. The Lady Bulldogs attempted just 11 conventional field goals in the game.
Both teams shot well for the free throw line, with UWA making 13-of-16 and Union 21-of-26. The Lady Bulldogs outrebounded the Tigers 35-30.
“The game changed somewhere around the seven or eight minute mark when we were in a five or six point ball game and then we missed four of six free throws,” UWA head coach Craig Roden said. “Then we gave up four straight threes, every one of them were breakdowns against things we had prepared for.”
Union led 42-38 at the half against a West Alabama team that committed a season-low 12 turnovers and had a season-high 18 assists. The Tigers hung around and were within striking distance deep in the game before the Union three-point barrage took its final toll.
“We had a season low in turnovers and a season high in assists, but most of that came in the first half when the ball was moving. We are not bad when we play off ball movement,” UWA head coach Craig Roden said. “They began to switch hard off us, and when that happens the screener has to make herself available. If that doesn’t happen, then you have to play off the bounce and that is our weak area.”
Kelcia Bufkin scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Tigers. Quentinette Odom followed with 18 points while collecting nine rebounds.
“Kelcia shoots the ball well when her feet are set, but she just doesn’t have the explosion she had before her knee injury,” Roden said. “She is out there playing on pure guts.”
The Tigers travel to Delta State on Thursday for the third in a four-game road swing. West Alabama closes the season by playing six of eight games at home.
“If we keep battling and playing hard we will step through that door, and once we do it will become easier. We are at least giving ourselves a chance now,” Roden said. “Two years ago we had one conference win in early February and then won seven of eight on the way to winning the league.”