NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Union University men’s basketball forward has been named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week, TSWA announced in a release Tuesday.
Applegate averaged 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over a two-game stretch marked by extraordinary shooting efficiency. He finished 8-9 (.889) from three–including a perfect 5-5 game–9-10 from the line, and 14-17 (.824) from the floor.
Applegate was also recognized as the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week.
In a Thursday night showdown with Alabama-Huntsville, Division II’s #6 team, Applegate had 23 points and 12 rebounds, shot 8-9 from the floor and 2-2 from the line, and recorded a block. He followed this performance with a similar one against West Alabama on Saturday: 22 points, nine boards, 6-8 shooting (3-4 from three), and 7-8 from the line with another swat. All told, he scored 45 points on just 17 field goal attempts, a whopping 2.6 points per heave.
Applegate, a sophomore, averages 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He’s shooting .542–an uptick of .120 from last season–and .550 (11-20) from beyond the arc. His rebounding and scoring marks are good for third and 16th in the conference, respectively, while his .869 free throw clip is GSC-fifth.
The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, product has posted three 20-point nights and eight in double-digits through 13 games; his career-high of 26 came against Bethel on November 19. Listed at 210 pounds, he hasn’t collected fewer than five rebounds in any contest this season. Applegate has tallied a career-high 17 rebounds twice in his first two seasons: first against Delta State in January 2024, and again at Drury on November 26.
Applegate the Bulldogs will look to return to the win column this weekend in matchups at Valdosta State and West Florida. After opening the GSC campaign 3-0, the team has dropped four consecutively–one to a top-ranked opponent, two on the road, and two more in late, heartbreaking fashion. Union will play at home next on January 16 (7:30 p.m.) against Lee and January 18 (4:00 p.m.) against Trevecca at the Fred DeLay Gymnasium, where general admission is free as a courtesy of FirstBank.
