Box Score JACKSON, Tenn. - One of the things that has characterized the success of Union (Tenn.) University women's basketball over the years has been finding a way to make clutch 3-pointers late in games.

The No. 3 Lady Bulldogs did just that in earning a 48-44 win over No. 2 Freed-Hardeman on Saturday in Fred Delay Gymnasium.

LaTesa McLaughlin and Rebecca Sharpe both hit timely 3's in the second half, and it was Sharpe's with 2:08 left that put Union ahead for good.

After FHU (21-4, 9-2) took only its second lead of the game at 44-43 following an Ashley Tate free throw, Sharpe connected on a 3-pointer from right of the key. The Lady Lions would be unable to score the rest of the game.

Freed-Hardeman had a chance to send the game to overtime with the ball down by three and the shot clock turned off, but Maria Bagwell's 3-point attempt hit the front of the iron and Shelby Ashcraft grabbed the rebound. She was fouled and made one of two free throws for the final points of the game.

Union (24-2, 11-1) made eight 3-pointers to just one for FHU, which shot just 34 percent from the floor. Union also held Natalie Shumpert, who scored 32 points in Freed-Hardeman's win on Jan. 14, to eight points on 4-of-16 shooting.

FHU found itself down 10 points late in the first half, but used an 8-0 run to narrow the gap to two points at halftime. From there, Union's lead would not go above six points and the game was tied on three occasions.

Ashley Tate scored a game-high 13 points while Bagwell pulled down 13 rebounds to go along with 10 points.

Union now sits in the driver's seat in the TranSouth Conference standings with a one-game lead on FHU in the loss column.

The loss denied FHU head coach Dale Neal his 700th career coaching win. He will try again on Monday when the Lady Lions host Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College at 6:00 PM.