Lions Defeated by Tusculum
GREENEVILLE, TENN- Balanced scoring and tight defense led Tusculum to a 69-44 victory over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Arena.
Seven Pioneers scored seven or more points in the contest, while tight TC defense held the Lions to 23.5 percent shooting (12-of-51). Armeka Booker came off the bench to notch her third double-double of the season, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds for Mars Hill. Tusculum was paced by Breaira Barksdale with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, to go along with six assists. The Lions fell to 3-11 overall and 0-6 in SAC play. The Pioneers improved to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
Autumn Ward added nine points and six rebounds for Mars Hill. Kelsey Espinosa chipped in with seven points and three steals. The Lions held a 19-12 advantage in second-chance points.
Jama Hammontree added 12 points and six rebounds for Tusculum. April McCann also reached double-figures with 10 points and seven rebounds. The Pioneers shot 38.7 percent from the field (29-of-75), held a 38-18 advantage in the paint and held the Lions scoreless on the fast break.
Mars Hill got off to a hot start to take an 11-7 lead with 14:56 to play in the first half. A three and a pair of lay-ups by Ward, and four points by Espinosa on a layup and pair of free throws sparked the start. Defensively, the Lions held TC without a field goal for nearly three minutes during a 6-0 run.
Tusculum fought back and was able to take the lead for good when a layup by Barksdale made the score 18-17 with 10:10 to play in the first half. That bucket sparked a 10-0 run Pioneer run. Barksdale added another bucket during the run, while Ashley Thurman added three points and Baxter capped off the run with a three.
Four points by Booker sandwiched around a Blakely Burleson jumper cut the Pioneer lead to seven before the Pioneers closed the first half on a 10-2 run. Five different Pioneers scored during the run, which pushed their halftime lead to 37-23.
Tusculum continued to fire on all cylinders in the second half, opening on a 15-1 run to push the lead to 52-24 with 14:59 to play and put the game out of reach. The Pioneers hit three treys during the run, and finished 8-of-26 from distance on the afternoon (30.8 percent). TC led by as much as 29 in the half.
Mars Hill will travel to Carson-Newman this Wednesday, Jan. 23
for a South Atlantic Conference tilt. Tip-off is 6:00 p.m.