Union goes back-to-back, wins Tourney - Mar 1, 2015

Top-seeded Union did it again.
The Bulldogs (29-4 overall) registered an 84-63 win over second-seeded Milligan to win their second Appalachian Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in a row. This was the fourth trip to the championship game for Union in the last six years and third time it was victories. The Bulldogs also won the 2011 title and advanced to the 2010 championship game.
The tournament was played at the MeadowView Marriott Conferencde Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tenn.
Union received a big boost from Deantray Stevens (5'10''-PG), who came off the bench to score a game-high 20 points on 7 of 13 shooting. He also made 4 of 8 from behind the arc to go with seven assists and four rebounds.
Play was tight for much of the first half, and Milligan used an 11-2 run to claim a 15-8 lead following a Kurt Brooks (6'4''-G) 3-pointer with 14:16 to go in the period. Union fought back to tie the game at 15-15, and the teams then began trading baskets for the next few minutes. Tied at 23-23 at the 6:27 mark, the Bulldogs closed out the half on a 16-8 surge in taking a 39-31 cushion into the lockerroom.
Although Union never trailed again, Milligan kept things interesting as it cut the margin down to 43-37 at the 17:30 mark and to 56-49 with 10:58 to play. Yet, a 15-3 rally by the Bulldogs put the game out of reach. Up 71-52 with 5:58 to play, Union coasted the rest of way in capturing the 84-63 decision.
For his efforts, Stevens made the All-Tournament Team along with teammates J.D. Tucker (6'2''-G) and Dominique Hagans (6'3''-G). Tucker had 15 points and five rebounds in the win, while Hagans scored 16 to go with eight rebounds and eight steals. Hagans registered 17 steals in three tournament games, earning him Tournament MVP honors.
Deante Johnson also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs, netting 15 points.
Mickey Woods (6'1''-G) paced Milligan (20-10 overall) with 22 points with Brooks and Morgan McLeod (6'8''-C) adding 13 and 11 points, respectively. Woods and Brooks were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
Also making the All-Tournament Team was Stephen Kite (6'3''-G) Jr. of Tennessee Wesleyan.
Union, ranked 17th in the NAIA Division II Top 25 Poll, already locked up an automatic berth for the national tournament with regular-season championship. By virtue of the Bulldogs winning both championships, Milligan will receive the AAC's second automatic bid to the national tournament for being the regular-season runner-up.

Courtesy of AACSports

AAC Tournament Final: Union - Milligan 84-63
AAC Tournament Semifinals:
Union - Reinhardt 86-70
Milligan - Tennessee Wesleyan 79-64

All-AAC 1st Team 2015

Cole

Woods

Ricks

Jenkins

Kite