RICHMOND, Va. –  Terrell Leach scored a game-high 30 points to lead Virginia Union  (5-4)  to a 78-76 win over Shepherd University (3-4) in men's basketball action at Virginia Union on Wednesday night. Leach hit the game-winning three-pointer with 1:38 left in the contest.

Sophomore guard Jon Preston (Brandywine, Md./Rock Creek Christian)  led the Rams with 20 points. Preston hit on 6-of-14 field goals with a 6-of-11 effort from three-point range.  He was 2-of-2 from the line. Preston also hauled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Freshman guard Daniel McClain-Corley (Clinton, Md./Massanutten Military Academy) added a career-high 14 points, while senior guard Thomas Lang (New Market, Md./Linganore) and junior guard Jarrell Jones (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg/Alderson Broaddus) each tossed in 10 points. Lang and Preston each dished out a game-high five assists.

Jordan Peebles added 22 points for the Panthers. Raemaad Wight added nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds

Shepherd had a 46-42 lead at halftime as Preston had nine points and five assists in the first half.

The game featured 12 lead changes and eight ties. Shepherd took a 76-73 lead after a three-pointer by Preston with 2:50 remaining. Leach hit a pair of free throws with 2:26 left to set the stage for his game-winner.

Shepherd connected on 44.3 percent (27-61) from the floor with a 48.5 percent (16-33) performance from beyond the arc for the game. The Rams hit 50 percent (6-12) of their free throws.

Virginia Union shot 50 percent (28-56) from the floor with a 35 percent effort (7-20) from three-point range. The Panthers shot 71.4 percent (15-21) from the charity stripe.

Virginia Union had a 34-22 advantage in rebounding. The Rams forced six turnovers and committed five.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Slippery Rock at 3 p.m.

 -30-