MORROW, Ga. --- The third-seeded USC Aiken women's basketball team held of a furious rally by sixth-seeded Tusculum College, 69-66, Friday afternoon in the first quarterfinal game of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament hosted by Clayton State University.
USC Aiken (27-5), the No. 8-ranked team in the nation, advances to Saturday's semifinal against No. 2 Lander, who defeated seventh-seeded Wingate, 86-54.
The Pacers placed four players in double figures led by Kayla Harris' 17 points. Harris connected on 6-of-11 shots from the floor, including 2-of-5 from three-point territory. Hannah DeGraffinreed added 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Deandra Schirmer and Nakia Pinkney tallied a dozen markers each.
Tusculum was paced by two-time Southeast Region and South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year Jasmine Gunn, who accounted for game highs with 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her collegiate finale. She connected on 5-of-16 floor shots and 8-of-9 at the free throw line. Sophomore Kendal Baxter and senior Catherine Hintz both added 13 points, while senior Jasmine Parker finished with eight points and three rebounds in the loss.
USC Aiken shot 42 percent from the floor, while holding the Pioneers (21-9) to 28 percent shooting in the first half to own a nine-point advantage at intermission at 30-21.
Trailing 34-21 early in the second half, Tusculum came out scorching the nets, hitting 10 of their first 12 shots of the period (83.3%), including eight straight as the Pioneers pulled to within three at 47-44 with 12:04 remaining in the contest.
USCA would move back out to a 58-51 advantage with 5:16 remaining following a pair of free throws by Triahna Harris. But Tusculum responded with a 7-0 run that included free throws by Gunn and Parker and a Hintz three-point play to knot the game at 58-58 with 3:10 left.
On USC Aiken's next possession after Tusculum evened things up the Pacers pulled ahead by two after a Hannah DeGraffinreed lay-up.
USC Aiken would never relinquish the lead again after DeGraffinreed's lay-up, but Tusculum would put pressure on the Pacers in the final seconds of the game by pulling to within one at 64-63 with 30.7 seconds remaining after a three-point play by Gunn.
Deandra Schirmer was fouled would come through for the Pacers next by knocking down two free throws to set the score at 66-63 with 28 seconds remaining.
DeGraffinreed would then hit one of two free throws to pull the Pacers ahead by four at 67-63. USC Aiken would break away from TC trying to foul them in the final seconds next with Nakia Pinkney breaking away for a lay-up to give the Pacers a six-point lead at 69-63. Appropriately, Gunn would bank in a three-pointer at the final buzzer for Tusculum to end the game and cap one of the finest playing careers in school and league history.
USC Aiken finished the game shooting 42.4 percent (25 for 59) as a team, while Tusculum, the defending Southeast Region champion, was 22-of-53 from the floor for 41.5 percent, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc for 66.7 percent. The Pioneers also sank 16-of-18 foul shots for 88.9 percent.
Today's contest closes the chapter on one of the finest senior classes in Tusculum history. Gunn, Parker, Hintz and Brittni Oliver posted a remarkable 96-30 (.762) record during their respective careers, that included three SAC Championships, two SAC Tournament titles and four trips to the NCAA Tournament, including last year's Elite Eight appearance.
Gunn, a 4-11 native of Nashville, Tenn., ends her career with 2,180 points, which are the second most in school history and third in SAC history, surpassing former Mars Hill All-American Denise Shelton (2,162 pts. from 1998-2002) on Friday for third place in the league record book. Gunn also became the league's all-time leader in career games played on Friday with her 125th start.
The two-time All-American standout leaves Tusculum as its all-time leader in free throws made (660) and free throw attempts (838). Gunn also finishes second all-time in career assists (629), field goals made (734), third in steals (272) and ninth in rebounds (534). Her 560 points this season are seven-most in TC history, while her 168 free throws made and 213 attempts were the second most ever by a Pioneer, marks she established last season (223-for-284).
Parker (Rex, Ga.), who wraps up her collegiate career in the shadow of her high school alma mater (Morrow High School), played in her 124th career game on Friday as she ties Wingate's Anna Atkinson (2005-2009) for second all-time in that category. Parker finishes with 953 points and 438 rebounds for her career. Her 388 career assists are the fifth most in school history, while her 256 free throws made and 335 attempts were eighth and 10th in TC history, respectively.
Hintz, a 6-8 center from Hastings, Minn., ends her three-year career at Tusculum with 761 points, 572 rebounds and 111 blocked shots. Hintz, the 2011 SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, finished eighth in school history in rebounds and fourth in blocked shots.
Oliver (Kokomo, Ind.) closes out her career with 374 points, 185 rebounds, 152 assists in her 118 games, including 60 starts, while logging 2,232 career minutes.
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