The Warrior men traveled to Kansas City to face the #1 team in the nation, Spurgeon College, in a regional battle. Despite a valiant effort and a halftime lead, Union ultimately fell 86–77 in a game that showcased the team's ability to compete with the country's best.

Our Warriors were down in the first half by ten halfway through the first period, before Chris Johnson poured in five threes, ultimately leading to a halftime lead of 45–44. The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams struggling to score. The Warriors held the #1-ranked offense in the nation to twenty points below their average, holding them to just 36% shooting on the night. With 1:15 left in the game, the Warriors, down by 1, could not find the bottom of the net. Joseph Allen went on an incredible individual run to salt the game away. 

Ultimately, Spurgeon capitalized on interior scoring, outscoring Union 42–26 in the paint and tallying 27 second-chance points. 

Though they didn't leave with the win, Union’s performance against the #1 team demonstrated their resilience and capability as they move forward in the season, as they head toward the region tournament at the end of February. 

Individual Standouts

• Chris Johnson: Led the way with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

• JP Grubbs: Contributed 18 points and 5 rebounds 

• Braden Essex: Led the team on the glass, recording 11 reboundsto go along with 9 points.

• Michael Boit: Distributed the ball well, finishing with 4 assists, 8 points, and 2 steals.