ROME, Ga. – Save for 26 seconds, the Shorter Hawks found themselves playing catch-up basketball in their first Gulf South Conference game of the season.

Despite placing five players in double figures, the Hawks were unable to come up with the run they needed as the visiting Union Bulldogs kept Shorter in check to come away with a 91-85 win Thursday night at the Winthrop-King Centre.

The win leaves the Hawks with a 5-2 record heading into another GSC battle Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the WKC, while Union improved its unbeaten mark to 7-0.

Union established the early lead, taking a seven-point lead in the opening minutes but was unable to increase the margin as Shorter remained within striking distance.

The Hawks gradually closed the gap and with 3:33 left in the opening half, took their first lead of the night, 36-34, when Chris Daniels scored on a layup. That, however, would be the only time Shorter found itself in front.

A three-pointer by Marterrace Brock put the Bulldogs back into a 39-36 lead with under two minutes to play in the period and helped the visitors to hang on to a 42-38 lead at halftime.

Union added to the margin over the first four minutes of the second half taking a 50-42 advantage when Ashanti Day scored on a layup, but the Hawks once again managed to close the gap pulling to within one, 63-62, when Kordario Fleming followed up on his own missed shot, was fouled and coverted the traditional three-point play with 8:47 left to play.

Shorter stayed within striking distance of the Bulldogs and with 3:49 remaining Dedric Ware's short baseline jumper knotted the game up at 72-72 and 20 seconds later Ware kept the game deadlocked when he converted a pair of free throws.

The Hawks, however, were never able to come up with the go-ahead bucket as Union promptly went on an 11-1 run to assume an 85-75 lead with 1:01 left when Day canned a pair of shots at the foul line where Union had the perfect touch down the stretch, hitting 12 straight charity shots.

Ware paced the Hawks with 22 points, Travis Jones added 18, Fleming finished with 16, Chris Daniels provided 13 points and seven rebounds and Jordan Jack had 11.

Union, whose benched outscored the Hawks 30-16, was led by Brock's game-high 30 points, Day added 21 and Corien Pearson finished with 15.