JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- A 25-8 second-half run enabled Carson-Newman University to erase an early 12-point deficit and defeat Tusculum College 78-68 in the South Atlantic Conference Women's basketball opener for both teams Wednesday night at Holt Fieldhouse.
Jai Jai McLaughlin led the Eagles (3-1, 1-0 SAC) with a game-high 21 points, including 12 in the second half, while Chante Markus and Kaitlyn Brooks had 14 points apiece. Brooks hit four of the Eagles' seven three-pointers in the game, including three in the first half to help Carson-Newman within range.
Five players finished in double figures for the Pioneers, led by 14 points from Blakeley Burleson. Shynese Whitener tallied 12 points while Nequoiah Anderson and Brianna Mitchell added 11 points each. Kristen McMillion was the fifth player to reach double figures with a career-high 10 points for the Pioneers, who were outscored 46-29 in the second half after leading by seven points at intermission.
Tusculum led 48-40 with 14:01 remaining, but Carson-Newman rallied and took its first lead of the game at 54-52 on a three-pointer by Markus with just over nine minutes left. The Eagles would go up by as many as nine points at 65-56 before the Pioneers fought back to within 67-63 on a free throw by Maelyn Cutshaw with 2:42 remaining.
However, Tatum Burstom responded with a basket on Carson-Newman's next possession to give the Eagles a six-point lead and McLaughlin helped put the game away by making six foul shots in the final 1:03.
The Pioneers dashed to an 11-0 lead after 3 1/2 minutes before the Eagles got on the scoreboard on a layup by Markus with 16:26 left in the first half. A Mitchell three-pointer gave her seven early points and left Tusculum with its largest lead of the game at 14-2, but Carson-Newman chipped away and pulled within 20-17 on a McLaughlin layup with 10:59 remaining in the half.
Tusculum led 39-32 at halftime as Anderson led the Pioneers with 11 points while Mitchell had nine points and five rebounds. McMillion added four points and a game-high seven rebounds in the half for the Pioneers, who went 17-for-20 from the free-throw line in the half. Brooks matched Anderson for the game high in scoring with 11 points in the opening half, but the Eagles shot 12-for-32 (37.5 percent) in the half and committed 14 turnovers.
The Pioneers will return to action Saturday afternoon when they host Wingate in their home opener at 2 p.m. at Pioneer Arena.
- TC -
