INDIANAPOLIS --- Jasmine Gunn averaged 32 points, including a South Atlantic Conference-record 45 markers against No. 20 Francis Marion, in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament last weekend to lead the Tusculum College women's basketball team to its first Elite Eight appearance and jump to seventh in the nation in scoring, announced NCAA officials Friday with the release of the latest edition of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball statistics.
Tusculum (23-9) has won nine straight and 14 of its last 16 en route to the program's first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, while capturing the school's first Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament and Southeast Region titles. The Pioneers boast the nation's 12th highest-scoring offense, pouring in 78.2 points per game this season entering their Elite Eight matchup with top-ranked Gannon University.
The Pioneers are also ranked 30th in field goal percentage (43.9) after posting a scorching 53.3 percent clip from the floor in last weekend's Southeast Regional. Tusculum is additionally ranked 49th in scoring margin (8.6), 57th in blocked shots (3.7), 69th in rebound margin (3.1), and 87th in turnovers per game (17.5).
Gunn has been a tremendous part of the Pioneers' success this season, garnering Daktronics Southeast Region Player of the Year honors in addition to being named the program's first-ever SAC Player of the Year. The 4-11 All-American has posted five 30-point games this season, scoring at least 20 markers on 19 occasions while being the only player in the NCAA Division II to rank in the top 35 in scoring, assists, and steals. She currently ranks seventh in scoring (21.8), 23rd in steals (2.9), and 32nd in assists (4.9).
Freshman Kendal Baxter has been superb in her first collegiate postseason run, knocking down 23 three-pointers in the six-game span while connecting on a blistering 46.9 percent of her 49 attempts from behind the arc. The Sevierville, Tenn. native has been ranked among the nation's top 10 three-point shooters for much of the season, entering Tuesday's Elite Eight matchup with Gannon ranked sixth with 3.3 triples per contest.
Baxter is also ranked 56th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (37.7) and is two triples shy of setting a single-season program- and SAC-record for treys in a season. The SAC All-Freshman Team selection has knocked down 103 shots from behind the arc to date, which is believed to be one shy of the NCAA Division II mark for trifectas in a season.
Junior Catherine Hintz continues to be ranked among the nation's leaders in blocked shots and rebounding, entering the week listed 49th in rejections (1.7) and 69th in boards (8.6). Senior Kat Spears is also listed among the nation's leaders in blocked shots, ranking 77th in the country in rejections per game (1.5).
Tusculum returns to the court on Tuesday, Mar. 23 when the Pioneers take the court against top-ranked Gannon (36-0) in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in St. Joseph Civic Arena. A live statistics feed and a live streaming webcast will be available through NCAA.com free of charge.
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