Union University (TN) is #1 in NAIA Division I. Undefeated this season, the Lady Bulldogs have a history of success. They've won 30 or more games in 13 of the last 15 seasons, and were national champions in 1998, 2005 and 2006.

On February 5th, the campus was devastated by an EF4 tornado. ESPN's Kieran Darcy writes about the school's move to recovery and the team's decision to play a game on the 11th.

"We thought we were ready to begin focusing on the future," says Dockery [school president]. "Women's basketball is our most visible sport. I think the fact that it's basketball season allows our students and our friends in the community to rally around the team."

The game was played at Jackson Christian School's gymnasium. Down early, writes Darcy,Union fought back to take a 38-36 lead at halftime. Then the Lady Bulldogs turned on the shooting touch in the second half, running out to a big lead. But the hot shooting wasn't what stood out most. Rather, when Kaitlin Dudley got knocked to the ground after a hard foul, she smiled. When Jessica Graves got called for a ticky-tack reach-in foul, she giggled. When Crystal Eason got a shot stuffed right back in her mug, she burst out laughing.

"It was so great out there," Eason said after the game [a victory]. "It was a relief from everything outside, to be able to focus on basketball for a little while, even though that's not our main focus."

By the way, you can thank Kieran for his coverage of women's basketball via email: kieran.d.darcy@espn3.com