CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Union University men’s basketball team saw its four-game win streak snapped in a 69-59 road loss to Delta State on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs (11-8, 7-6) never led after the second media timeout and trailed by 14 at halftime. Union opened the second period with 13-2 and 9-0 runs and trailed by just three with less than seven minutes to play, but the home team recovered and hung on for the 10-point victory.
Parker Applegate led Union scoring with 20 on his season’s fifth night with 20-plus. Kaleim Taylor had nine points and nine rebounds, and CJ Jackson chipped in 12 points.
Union’s offense stalled late in the first half, in the final 7:30 of which the Bulldogs scored only five points. DSU ended the frame on 29-14 and 15-5 runs.
The Union offense sputtered all night and finished with fewer than 60 points for the first time this season after posting its worst shooting night (.377) since January 2024.
The Bulldogs fell to 0-4 when failing to score 72 this season and 3-8 when shooting under .440.
Keithean Brooks (21), Chris Terrell (19), Je’Marion Westbrook (12) and Kolby Horace (11) finished in double-figures for the Statesmen.
Next for the Bulldogs is a single-game week with a home matchup against Christian Brothers on Thursday (7:30 p.m.)
Post-game notes (Team)
With the loss, Union had its four-game win streak snapped and was prevented from winning five straight games for the first time since December 2022.
Union’s total of 59 points was the team’s lowest of the season and since the Bulldogs scored 53 against Mississippi College in January 2024. The Bulldogs hadn’t scored fewer points in a road contest since they scored just 53 at Lee in February 2023.
Saturday’s game was Union’s first loss of the season when holding opponents to fewer than 76 points (1-8) and when holding opponents under .420 shooting (1-7).
This was also Union’s first loss (1-4) when shooting .400 or better from three. The Bulldogs tied their season-low in three-point makes with four. They finished 4-25 vs. West Alabama and 4-13 in games at Christian Brothers and West Florida.
The Bulldogs, who shot 20-53 (.377), set season-lows in field goal makes and shooting percentage. Saturday was the team’s first game with fewer than 23 made field goals.
The Bulldogs were credited with exactly one block for the first time this season.
Union posted its third-best free throw shooting night of the season (15-17, .882).
Individual
Parker Applegate (20 points, 6 rebounds) posted his 13th game in double-digits, eighth with 15 or more points, and fifth with 20 or more. His points-per-game average has risen by 2.5 points–from 11.2 to 13.7–in the last eight games. His scoring average is good for 15th in the GSC.
Applegate’s Saturday total of six rebounds was his lowest since the five he grabbed against CBU on December 13; he has recorded at least five in every game this season, and his 9.3 rebounding average is third in the GSC through Saturday’s action.
Applegate finished 2-2 from three on Saturday and is 7-8 in his last four games. He is 18-31 from deep this season, a team-leading rate of .581. Applegate’s 18 makes are the fourth-most among Bulldogs.
CJ Jackson (12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) set a season-high in assists on Saturday and posted his 17th game of 12 or more points. He didn’t attempt a three-point shot for the first time this season.
A double-double eludes Kaleim Taylor (9 points, 9 rebounds), who has scored eight-plus 14 times and grabbed nine or more rebounds on three occasions.
Jeremiah Littlepage (6 rebounds, 5 assists) was held scoreless for the first time this season. He finished 0-4 from the floor in 31 minutes after being absent from competition on Thursday. After setting his season-high with 5 assists against TNU, he matched it on Saturday.
Jack Shackelford (6 points, 5 rebounds), after posting a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double on Thursday, will be a competitive candidate for Tuesday’s GSC Freshman of the Week award. Shackelford averaged 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 8-9 shooting, 1-1 from three, and 2-2 from the free throw line this week.
