NEWBERRY, S.C. --- Four players scored in double-figures to lead Newberry College to a 74-41 victory over Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon. Junior guard Shynese Whitener led the Pioneers with 10 points.

It was the first game of 2015 for both squads, including Tusculum's (2-7, 2-4 SAC) first contest since December 15, 2014. Newberry's (8-4, 4-2) Nicola Handreck scored a game-high 16 points, while Haylee Lepaio tallied a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Samantha Creed finished with 12 points and Kirsten Dunsmore added 11.

Sophomore guard Maelyn Cutshaw finished with nine points and senior guard Blakely Burleson had six points and pulled down a team-high five rebounds. Junior forward Kristen McMillion tallied seven points and four rebounds, while freshman guard Madison Malone chipped-in six points.

TC jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead on back-to-back layups by Cutshaw and Burleson to open the game. Newberry answered with a 6-0 run of its own to take its first lead of the contest at 6-4 with 18:48 to play in the first half. Later in the first period, a three-pointer by Malone gave the Pioneers the lead back at 19-18 with 7:00 to play before the break.

The Wolves answered with a three pointer by Handrek to re-take the lead at 21-19 and stretched the advantage to four on a Handrek jumper in Newbeerry's next offensive possession. Malone nailed another three ball two possessions later to cut the Wolves' advantage to 23-22 with 4:36 before halftime.

However, that would be the final points of the half by TC as the Newberry defense forced five missed field goals and two turnovers in the final four minutes before halftime. During that stretch, the Wolves scored nine unanswered points and held a 33-22 lead at the break.

Newberry continued the offensive pressure in the second half and opened the period on a 7-0 run that included back-to-back three's by Handreck and Pearson. Tusculum's first points of the second half came on Whitner jumper four-minutes into the period, but TC trailed 41-24 with 16:55 remaining.

The Wolves' defense held TC to just 8-of-28 shooting in the second half (28.6%) and their largest lead of the game was 64-32 with 5:52 remaining. TC put together a quick 5-0 run late in the game but Newberry cruised to the 33-point victory.

Newberry forced 25 TC turnovers that resulted in 25 points while also scoring 26 points in the paint. The Wolves' bench outscored the Pioneer bench 21-3 and held a 29-2 advantage in second chance points.

Tusculum will play at home for the first time in 2015 on Wednesday night (Jan. 7) when it hosts Brevard at 6 p.m. inside Pioneer Arena.