ANDERSON, S.C. --- Ashley Abed scored the game-winning basket with four seconds left to give Anderson University a 67-65 upset victory over Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference Women's basketball action at the Abney Center Wednesday night.
The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak by the Pioneers (16-7, 12-3 SAC) and prevented the squad from clinching a share of the SAC regular-season title. With three games left in the regular season, the Pioneers hold a two-game lead over Lenoir-Rhyne (10-5) and a three-game advantage over Newberry and Wingate (both 9-6).
Tusculum trailed 62-46 with 6:43 left but scored 19 of the game's next 22 points to tie the game at 65-65 on a layup by Linda Aughburns with 23 seconds left. Anderson then converted a backdoor pass from Alissa Diaz to Abed to take a two-point lead, and a last-ditch layup by Tusculum's Jasmine Gunn came after the buzzer sounded.
Abed finished with 13 points for the Trojans (10-13, 6-9 SAC), one of four players to finish in double figures for the hosts. Breonda Shannon led Anderson with 16 points and five rebounds as the Trojans shot 49.1 percent (28-for-57) from the field as a team.
Gunn led the Pioneers by scoring a game-high 21 points, the fourth straight game she has scored at least 20 points. Catherine Hintz added 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench and Aughburns added eight points and nine rebounds, helping Tusculum to a 34-24 advantage on the boards over Anderson.
Tusculum shot 42.6 percent (20-for-47) from the floor but thrived at the foul line by going 24-for-28 (85.7 percent). Gunn went 11-for-12 from the stripe and also pulled six rebounds.
Anderson led 62-46 following two free throws by Alexa Neal with 6:43 remaining, but the Pioneers reeled off 10 straight points to pull within 62-56 with 1:29 to go on two foul shots by Gunn. Abed hit a free throw with 1:11 left to give Anderson a seven-point lead, but Kendal Baxter answered with a three-pointer to pull the Pioneers within 63-59 with 1:05 remaining.
A steal by Baxter led to a layup by Gunn with 50 seconds to go and cut the Anderson advantage to 63-61, a margin that was maintained after an exchange of foul shots by Abed and the Pioneers' Jasmine Parker. Tusculum then tied the game at 65-65 on a steal and layup by Aughburns with 23 seconds remaining, setting up Abed's game-winner.
Anderson used an 11-0 run in the first half to take a 30-18 lead with 3:25 left in the half. The Trojan lead would swell to 13 at 36-23 with 1:04 left before the Pioneers scored the final four points of the half courtesy of Gunn on a jumper and two foul shots. Tilde Ahlin and Shannon shared the team lead in scoring for Anderson with 10 points each in the first half, while Gunn and Hintz had a team-high nine points for the Pioneers.
Tusculum will play its final regular-season home game on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Catawba at Pioneer Arena. The Pioneers' four seniors - Gunn, Hintz, Parker and Brittni Oliver - will be honored as part of Senior Day festivities.
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