JACKSON, Tenn. – Double-doubles by CJ Jackson and Parker Applegate and season-highs aplenty marked Union’s conference play-opening win on Thursday night, as the Bulldogs took down Delta State 83-68 in the Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
Union began a 15-0 tear midway through the first half, expanding a 16-all tie to a 31-16 Bulldog lead. Union maintained a 14-point margin at halftime and won the second half by a single tally.
At several moments in the second half, Union (5-2, 1-0) held a lead of 20 or more-initially with 11:22 to play-but all except a few moments of the half were played with the scoreline between a 12- and 20-point margin.
Jackson scored 28 points-the ninth-most in a game by a GSC player this season and his fourth contest with 20 or more points-and collected 13 rebounds. Applegate, too, collected 13 misses, his second huge rebounding night in three games after corralling 17 caroms against Drury on November 26.
Kaleim Taylor’s 14 points and seven rebounds both tied season-highs, while Devaki Garr, who chipped in 11, posted his second double-figure night.
Union held Delta State to 7-40 (.175) shooting from beyond the arc, its worst night from downtown in almost two years. Not since the Statesmen scored 44 in a January 2023 loss to Valdosta State (.114) had they posted such a paltry rate in the category. DSU shot 3-22 (13.6%) from deep in the first half and missed 15 straight heaves over a span of nearly 10 minutes. Between the halves, the visitors were unsuccessful in 25 of 26 tries for three.
Delta State only achieved 40 points with under eight minutes to play. Keithan Brooks and Chris Terrell led the team with 18 points apiece, while Kolby Horace scored 14.
With the win, Union breaks a three-game skid against DSU and improves its all-time GSC record against the Statesmen to 12-14.
Mississippi College (5-2, 1-0) visits Jackson on Saturday in Union’s final home contest of 2024. Tip is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
