BARBOURVILLE, Ky. -- The Union College men's basketball team opens the 2012 Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday, and enters competition as the eighth seed overall, earning themselves a date on the road at top-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan. The game will be played tomorrow evening at 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs, who finished the regular season with an 8-20 overall mark, 5-11 in the AAC, are the defending AAC Tournament Champions after capturing the 2011 crown as the number four seed.

Union will face a stern test at Tennessee Wesleyan, who captured the AAC Regular Season crown after posting a 14-2 record in league play this year. Overall, TWC is 21-9, and comes into the tournament riding a nine-game winning streak. They are also 12-1on their home floor this season.

Individually, Union has been led late in the year by senior center Josh Hurd (Independence, Ky.), who has posted six double-doubles the Bulldogs' last 10 games. He ended the year averaging 10.9 points a game, and 6.8 rebounds per contest, which are a team-high. Tennessee Wesleyan is led by Desmond Crisp, who is averaging 19.8 points a contest, while E'Jay Ward leads the entire conference in assists per game (7.30) and total steals (110).

Tennessee Wesleyan swept the season series with Union, winning at Robsion Arena, 68-58 on Dec. 3, and at home on Jan. 28, 100-96.

For more information on the 2012 AAC Men's Basketball Tournament, go to www.aacsports.com.