By Steven Aldridge

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Union University women’s basketball team defeated Carson-Newman University 73-70 in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Monday at the Sanford Pentagon.

The win moves Union into the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in program history, where the Lady Bulldogs will face No. 6 seed Central Missouri, at 6 p.m., Wednesday.

“I’m extremely proud of the effort on defense down the stretch for our team,” said Mark Campbell, Union’s head basketball coach. “We were able to get some key stops late and rebounds, which we had not gotten most of the game. Carson-Newman is the hardest team we’ve played to have to guard.

“They are very well coached and we knew they would have a rally in them. I’m just thankful to have another couple of days to coach this group of players.”

After Carson-Newman scored the first basket, both teams posted 5-0 runs starting with Union.

Tiffany Rechis scored the first Union points on a 3-pointer. Then with Union leading 5-2, Carson-Newman answered with five straight points to regain the lead. Union’s AnnaLea Little tied the game with a running jumper in the lane. The game was tied 7-7 at the first quarter media timeout with 4:33 left. Union held a lead of three points four different times in the first quarter. A layup from Shumpert in the final seconds of the quarter gave Union an 18-16 lead at the end of one.

Union’s Little scored the first nine points of the second quarter on three 3-pointers to put the Lady Bulldogs up 27-16 with 7:36 left in the half. Carson-Newman cut their deficit to seven points, but a long 3-pointer from Union’s Shumpert put Union back up by 10 points, 32-22, with 3:42 left in the half. Bria Gaines blocked a shot on the next possession, then another long 3-point for Shumpert gave Union a 37-24 lead with 2:51 left. Inside two minutes remaining, Emily Beard got into the action with her first 3-pointer, Union’s eighth of the half, to put Union up 14 points, 40-26. Union’s defense force another missed shot from the Eagles, giving the Lady Bulldogs the ball for the final shot. Shumpert’s number was called an a fade-away jumper at the buzzer extended Union’s lead to 43-27 at the half.

Shumpert led all scorers with 15 points in the half. Union shot 52 percent in the first half, including 47 percent (8-17) from long range. Carson-Newman shot just 26 percent from the field, including only 15 percent (2-13) from 3-point range.

The two teams swapped baskets to open the third quarter, then Union’s Rechis hit a 3-pointer to put Union up 48-29 with 8:43 left in the quarter. Following a free throw from the Eagles, a layup from Shumpert put Union up 50-30 at the 8:16 mark. The layup for Shumpert was her 17th point of the game, which tied Union’s record for points in a season at 835 held by Stephanie Clark in the 2004-05 season.

Union’s Kyvin Goodin-Rogers hit a 3-pointer with 5:10 left in the third to give Union a 55-36 lead. Carson-Newman responded with a 13-1 run to cut their deficit to 56-49 with 2:34 left. Union got baskets from Goodin-Rogers and Shumpert to lead by 10 again, 60-50, with 1:38 left. Union got a late offensive rebound and earned the last shot of the quarter. Goodin-Rogers hit a 3-pointer to give Union a 63-54 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Baskets from both teams started the fourth quarter. Carson-Newman stayed hot with layups on three of their first four possessions to cut the Union lead to five points, 65-60, with 7:10 left in the game. After Lytle scored for Union, four more points from the Eagles cut the Union lead down to three points, 67-64, with 6:08 left. At the final media timeout, Union was clinging to a 69-66 lead with 4:18 left to play. Carson-Newman scored four of the next five points to tie the game at 70-70 with 2:08 left. A free throw from Shumpert gave Union a 71-70 lead with 1:28 left in the game. Union forced a missed shot and got the rebound, calling a timeout with one minute left, leading 71-70. Union missed on their shot to extend their lead. Carson-Newman got the board and called a timeout with 28.1 seconds left. The Eagles got to the lane, but a blocked shot from Gaines gave Union the ball. Shumpert was fouled with 18.1 seconds left. She it the second of two free throws to give Union the 72-70 lead. After a CNU timeout, the Union defense stopped three different drive attempts by the Eagles and then a steal by Lytle gave Union the ball. Lytle was fouled and made the second of two free throws to give Union a 73-70 lead with 2.8 seconds. Carson-Newman got a good look from just inside 30 feet, but missed.

Union went the final 5:38 of the game without a field goal, managing just 3-of-6 free throws down the stretch. The fourth quarter was the lowest scoring quarter of the game for both teams with CNU outscoring Union 16-10. Union was able to get enough stops down the stretch to win the game after their offense went cold.

Union was led by Shumpert with 24 points. Lytle and Little each added 11 points, while Goodin-Rogers added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and two blocks. Union shot 44 percent from the field, 36 percent (11-31) from long range, and 67 percent (12-18) from the free throw line.

Carson-Newman’s Haris Price led five players in double figures with 17 points, including 15 in the second half. Brianna Smith added 16 points, while Kayla Marosites, Mika Wester, and Katie Stubblefield scored 11 points each. The Eagles shot 38 percent from the field, 17 percent (3-18) from long range, and 79 percent (11-14) from the free throw line.

The Eagles out rebounded Union 48-30 in the game, including 20-5 on the offensive glass.

Seventh seeded Union improved to 32-3 on the season, while second seeded Carson-Newman ended its season at 32-3.

(PHOTO: Jada Perkins, former North Side High School star, helps Union University reach NCAA Division II Final Four – courtesy Michael Brown)