Union University basketball - Parks, Lucas, Thompson named all-GSC

Union University basketball – Parks, Lucas, Thompson named all-GSC

Union’s Parks earns GSC postseason honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference released its 2023 Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards Tuesday. Union University’s Tylandrius Parks was named first-team All-GSC. This is Parks first first-team honor after earning second-team honors last season.

Parks, a 6-foot-5 graduate guard from Pocahontas, Tenn., has been a five-year starter for the Bulldogs, leading the Bulldogs to a fifth straight GSC Tournament Appearance. Parks led Union this season with 18.6 points per game and was second with 6.8 rebounds per game. He shot 49 percent from the field, 36 percent (48-133) from the 3-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line. Parks was second on the team with both assists with 86 and steals with 31.

Union will play in the GSC Tournament as the 7-seed at 2-seed West Alabama, today.

Union’s Lucas and Thompson earn GSC postseason honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference announced its 2023 GSC Women’s Basketball Postseason Awards Tuesday. Union University’s Shanique Lucas was named first-team All-GSC and Samariah Thompson was named second-team All-GSC. This is Lucas’s second first-team All-GSC honor and the first for Thompson.

Lucas, a 5-foot-8 senior guard from Papua New Guinea, helped Union to a share of the GSC Regular Season title. She has won or shared the GSC title in each of her four seasons at Union. Through the regular season, Lucas led Union with 14.5 points per game in just 24 minutes averaged per game. She shot 52 percent from the field, 39 percent (35-90) from long range, and 84 percent from the free throw line. She also led the team with 4.3 rebounds per game and 69 steals, while finishing second with 69 assists.

Thompson, a 5-foot-6 senior guard from Dyersburg, Tenn., helped Union to a share of the GSC Regular Season title. Through the regular season, Thompson was second on the team with 11.0 points per game. She shot 48 percent from the field, 43 percent (30-70) from 3-point range, and 73 percent from the foul line. She led the team with 73 assists and averaged 2.4 rebounds with 40 steals.

Union will enter the GSC Tournament as the 2-seed and will host 7-seed Delta State, today, in the quarterfinals.

The winner advances to the semifinals in Birmingham at 2:15 p.m., Saturday.