JACKSON, Tenn. – Parker Applegate scored a career-high 26 points on Tuesday night, and Kaleim Taylor hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to move Union men’s basketball to 4-0 with an 85-84 win over Bethel University at the Fred DeLay Gymnasium.
A game characterized by ceaseless lead changes (21) and ties (13) came down to the wire in the truest sense of the expression. After Bethel’s Connor Guthrie found his way to the rim and gave the Wildcats an 84-82 lead with 12 seconds remaining, Taylor heaved the ball from the top of the arc in the waning seconds and, after the backboard lights had ignited mid-flight, landed the night’s final blow.
Bethel employed efficient three-point shooting (7-14) in the first 20 minutes to keep pace with the home team, and the Bulldogs held a slim 46-45 margin at the break. Both teams scored 39 points in the second half.
Union shot just 25.0% (5-20) from behind the arc–a freezing 1-13 in the second half–and broke the shooting slump not a moment too soon.
Applegate complemented his 26 points with eight rebounds. Devaki Garr and Jeremiah Littlepage scored 15 and 12, both season-highs, and Taylor had 11 points and seven rebounds while leading the team with four assists.
The Bulldogs have a week off before participating in the Drury Thanksgiving Classic in Springfield, Missouri. Union will play Drury on Tuesday (7:45 p.m.) and Illinois-Springfield the following afternoon (3:15).
