MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 59-54 non-conference loss to the Union University Bulldogs at the Gulf South Conference/Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GSC/SIAC) Challenge hosted by LeMoyne-Owen College at Bruce Hall Gymnasium on Saturday night.
 
Spring Hill took a quick 4-0 lead over the Bulldogs (1-0), but Union rallied to take a 13-12 lead before the Badgers responded with a 4-0 run to rebuild a 16-13 margin. Union fought back to tie the game at 20-20, but the Badgers responded with a 5-point run and carried a 32-31 lead into the halftime locker rooms.
 
Union grabbed a 35-34 lead three minutes into the second half and then stretched out a 37-34 advantage off a fast break bucket. The Bulldogs maintained 50-47 advantage and expanded the lead to 53-47 with a long 3-pointer. Down 54-50 with under a minute to play, the Badgers failed to connect on a layup that subsequently turned into a made jumper for the Bulldogs on the other end as Union continued to keep SHC at arm's length, completing just enough free throws to wrap up the victory.
 
Junior forward Brandon Fischer of Buford, Ga., led the Badgers with 13 points while junior guard Dwight Harris of Americus, Ga., pulled down eight rebounds. As a team, SHC shot 37.5% (24-64) from the field, but just 7.7% (1-13) from 3-point range. The Badgers lost nine turnovers to four steals by the Bulldogs, as the rebounding war was a draw at 34 boards for both sides.
 
Union shot 46% (23-50) overall and 26.7% (4-15) from 3-point distance while suffering 13 turnovers to just one steal by the Badgers. Charlie Wilson led all scorers and rebounders with 23 points and nine rebounds. Pedro Da Silva came off the bench to contribute another 12 to the Bulldog cause.
 
The Badgers (0-1) will remain in Memphis overnight to face the Shorter University Eagles on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the final day of the GSC/SIAC Challenge at Bruce Hall Gymnasium.