LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Men's Basketball team completed their season sweep over the Union Bulldogs on Thursday, with a thrilling, 71-68, victory in Pruitt Hall.
While West Alabama (12-12, 8-10 GSC) didn't shoot all that well from the field as a whole, the duo of Thaddeus Williams and Elliot Tulip combined for 44 points to lead UWA to their three-point win over Union (12-11, 8-9 GSC).
The matchup between the Tigers and the Bulldogs was competitive for all 40 minutes as neither lead could take a lead larger than five points. A block and a dunk from Dadrevius Weathers got West Alabama going while buckets from Williams and Charles Fofanah gave UWA an early 11-8 lead. To follow, the game saw five lead changes and two ties over the next seven minutes as Union held a slim, 23-21, lead with 4:59 left in the half. Five straight points from Williams gave the Tigers the lead right back until Tulip scored a layup and drilled a three late in the period to give West Alabama their largest advantage of the night at 31-27. Union's Devaki Garr followed Tulip's three with a trifecta of his own, taking us into the break with UWA leading, 31-30.
The Tigers shot 39 percent from the floor and 23 percent from three in a defensive first half while Union shot 43 percent from the floor and 36 percent from three.
Out of the break, Union scored five answered points to take a 35-31 lead before a tough pull up jumper from Travion McCray put an end to the Bulldogs mini run. Moments later, the Bulldogs got their lead back up to five before another three from McCray sparked a 6-0 Tigers' run to give them a 45-44 lead with 10:36 left to play. The back-and-forth action continued with Tulip and Williams continuing to put pressure on the Bulldogs as the duo scored 12 of UWA's next 14 points, helping to extend West Alabama's lead to 63-58. Up five with 3:02 remaining, the Tigers' lead evaporated as Union rattled off five unanswered points in less than two minutes to tie the game at 63. With 49 seconds remaining, Williams converted on a massive three-point play that would ultimately prove to be the game winner as West Alabama went on to win a nail biter in Pruitt Hall.
Williams finished with a game-high 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists while Tulip recorded a career-high 21 points on five made threes.
West Alabama will be back in Pruitt Hall for Senior Day on Saturday when they host Christian Brothers at 4:00 p.m. The Senior Day ceremony will begin prior to tip-off.
