JACKSON, Tenn. --- Playing without their leading scorer and rebounder, the Mississippi College men's basketball team dropped a Gulf South Conference matchup with Union University, 89-81, on Saturday afternoon in the Fred DeLay Gymansium.

Despite Tory Rice (14.0 ppg / 11.9 rpg) missing the first game of his career after starting 40 straight, the Choctaws (6-11, 5-10 GSC) took a 41-40 lead into halftime after a jumper by senior Johnny Rucker in the final seconds.

The Bulldogs (15-6, 9-6 GSC) opened the game on a 7-0 run and jumped out to a 13-3 lead, but MC responded with an 11-0 run of their own to get back in the game.

After taking the lead into the half, the Choctaws fell behind by as many as seven in the opening minutes of the second half, but sophomore Antonio Johnson nailed a three-pointer with 11:05 remaining to cut the score to 59-57.

The hot-shooting Bulldogs would continue to push out the lead and pull away in the final minutes to clinch the victory. On the night, Union shot 57% from the field and went 11-of-18 (61%) from long range.

The Choctaws went 9-of-21 (43%) from long range, led by senior Jonathan McGee, who was 5-of-8 and scored 21 points in the game.

Four Choctaws put up double-figure scoring, led by senior Tristan Moore with 20 points. Junior DeOndre Haynes scored a season-high 12 points, while sophomore Stacey Mack had 10 and a team-high eight rebounds.

Marterrace Brock led all scorers with 35 points for Union, while Jordan Montgomery had 18 points. Ashanti Day tallied a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The absence of Rice, who ranks 2nd nationally in rebounding and leads the GSC by more than two boards, was felt on the glass as the Bulldogs outrebounded the Choctaws, 35-26.

The Choctaws will be back in A.E. Wood Coliseum on Thursday night when they host Valdosta State at 7:30 p.m.