Newberry College held Tusculum College to 26.7 percent shooting
in a 58-45 victory in a South Atlantic Conference Women's
basketball game Saturday afternoon at Eleazer Arena.
The Wolves (12-6, 7-3 SAC) swept the season series and knocked the
Pioneers (13-5, 7-3 SAC) out of a share of first place in the
conference. Tusculum had its six-game winning streak snapped with
the loss, and fell one game behind Catawba (8-2) into a three-way
tie for second with Newberry and Wingate.
Haylee Lepaio registered a double-double for the Wolves with 11
points and 11 rebounds, and Ellie Gleeson added 10 points and five
boards in the win. Newberry shot just 33.3 percent (21-for-63) from
the field, but committed just 11 turnovers which led to only two
points for Tusculum in the game.
Staci Hicks scored a game-high 12 points to lead the Pioneers, and
was joined in double figures by Linda Aughburns who tallied 10
points and a team-best nine rebounds. Tusculum was just 4-for-21
from three-point range after going 3-for-25 from beyond in the arc
in a 57-53 home loss to Newberry on Dec. 10.
"We got some open looks early on that didn't go in, and that might
have played a factor in our mentality offensively. Our kids played
hard and competed, and I was happy with some of the things I saw
that aren't just X's and O's," said Pioneer head coach Adell
Harris. "Newberry is very physical and aggressive when you catch
the ball, and that's what makes them good."
Other than a 2-0 lead on a jumper by Jama Hammontree on the game's
first possession, the Pioneers trailed for the entire first half by
as many as eight points. Tusculum shot just 6-for-34 from the field
(17.6 percent) in the first half and endured separate field goal
droughts of nearly five minutes, yet trailed just 24-18 to
Newberry.
Hammontree led all players with seven points in the first half,
including the only three-pointer for either team, while Gleeson and
Brittany Brown paced the Wolves with six points apiece. Tusculum
did enjoy a 29-19 edge in rebounding in the first half, including
14 offensive boards.
The Pioneers scored the first seven points of the second half to
take their second and final lead of the day at 25-24 on a layup by
Hicks with 16:13 to play. Back-to-back buckets by Devanee Taylor
and Lepaio sparked a 12-3 run over the next four minutes, which
gave the Wolves a 36-28 lead with 11:58 to go.
Tusculum fought back with six straight points, the latter four on
consecutive layups by Hicks to cut the Newberry lead to 36-34 with
9:25 left. However, the Wolves responded by holding the Pioneers
scoreless for the next 3 1/2 minutes while building their lead to
nine points at 43-34.
The Pioneers got as close as seven on a three-pointer by Aughburns
with one minute left in regulation, but the Wolves connected on all
10 of their free-throw attempts in the final 70 seconds to lock up
the victory.
Hammontree finished with seven points and a season-high eight
rebounds for the Pioneers, who received six points and seven
rebounds from April McCann. Kendal Baxter managed just three points
in the contest, but grabbed five rebounds to come up one shy of her
season and career high of six.
Neicey Lewis posted nine points and eight rebounds for the Wolves,
while Taylor came off the bench to hit all three of her field-goal
attempts and finish with six points to go with four rebounds.
Tusculum finished the game with a 48-43 rebounding edge over
Newberry, but the Wolves were able to turn 20 Pioneer turnovers
into 16 points.
The Pioneers will return home for the first time in five games when
they host Lincoln Memorial Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at Pioneer
Arena.
