GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Anderson University used a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter and held off a late charge at the end as the 16th-ranked Trojans held on for a 59-56 South Atlantic Conference win at Tusculum College Tuesday night at Pioneer Arena.
Anderson (5-0, 3-0 SAC) remains undefeated on the young season, while handing Tusculum (4-2, 2-1 SAC) its first league loss and first home set-back of the year.
AU's Madison Floyd led the Trojans with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting including five 3-pointers to go along with her four steals. Teammate Jennifer Monroe posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Heather Jankowy finished with nine points and a game-high six assists in the victory.
Tusculum senior Shynese Whitener led all scorers with her 26 points and posted a game-high six steals. Junior Jasmine Queen added nine points, while freshmen Kasey Johnson and Sydney Wilson contributed six points each. Senior Kristen McMillion contributed five points and a season-high 11 rebounds, while also recording three blocked shots.
Anderson opened the game with and 11-3 run, but the Pioneers responded with a 10-1 spurt and trailed 13-12 after the first period. In the second quarter, the Trojans maintained their advantage and led 19-14 following a pair of free throws from Jennifer Monroe at the 6:28 mark of the period.
Tusculum scored six straight on baskets from Callie Patterson, McMillion and Whitener as Tusculum took its first lead of the game at 20-19 with 3:45 left before halftime. With TC leading 22-21 with a minute left, Floyd connect on a pair of three-pointers down the stretch as the Trojans led 27-22 heading into the locker room.
The Pioneers answered in the third quarter and after six lead changes and 10 points from Whitener, Tusculum outscored Anderson 21-12 in the frame and led 43-39 heading into the final quarter.
Anderson scored nine unanswered points in the first 2:40 of the four period and led 48-43. Jankowy scored the first five points of the run, while Nakia Young and Floyd answered with buckets following AU steals. The Pioneers missed their first five shots of the period and committed four turnovers.
Tusculum remained in striking distance and cut the deficit to three points on three occasions down the stretch. With AU leading 56-50, Whitener canned a trey with 2:34 remaining, but Floyd answered with a trifecta of her own 12 seconds later to extend the lead back to six at 59-53.
Whitener made two free throws with 1:25 on the scoreboard and the Pioneers forced an AU turnover with 57 seconds remaining. McMillion was fouled with 47 seconds as she made one of her two free throws to cut the deficit to one possession.
After a missed three-pointer by Anderson and a rebound for the Pioneers with 14 seconds left, the Pioneers called a timeout. TC worked the ball around and found Wilson on the right wing open but her game-tying three-point try was off the mark and AU came down with the rebound with 0.4 seconds left to seal the victory.
The statistics were as close as the final score. AU finished the game shooting 40 percent from the floor and connected on seven 3-pointers. TC shot 39.2 percent, including 2-of-10 from three-pointer territory. AU also edged the Pioneers in rebounding (36-34) and outscored TC in the paint by a 28-26 margin.
Tusculum returns to action on Sunday as they travel to Wingate University for a 2 p.m. contest at Cuddy Arena.
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