HARTSVILLE, S.C. --- Morgan Williams hit the game-winning layup with one second remaining as Coker College defeated Tusculum College 62-60 Saturday afternoon at the DeLoah Center.

With the victory, the Cobras (6-5, 5-1 SAC) move into sole possession of second place in the South Atlantic Conference, while the Pioneers fall to 6-3 overall (4-2 SAC).

Tusculum out-shot (50%-37%) and out-rebounded (39-34) Coker, but the Pioneers could not overcome a season-high 28 turnovers, which the Cobras converted into 26 points. Though being out-rebounded for the game, Coker grabbed 22 offensive rebounds and scored 13 second chance points in claiming the victory.

Tusculum senior Shynese Whitener, the conference's top scorer, led TC with 17 points, but fouled out of the contest with 5:43 remaining in the fourth quarter and played in only 25 minutes on the day.

Coker's Kendra Lambert added 16 points, including three 3-pointers, while Terrika Foster accounted for 14 points and 11 rebounds, including eight offensive boards.

The Tusculum freshmen duo of Kasey Johnson and Sydney Wilson tallied 10 points each, while senior Kristen McMillion finished with eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds. For McMillion, it marked her fourth consecutive game with 10-plus rebounds. She also tallied three blocked shots, giving her a conference leading 24 on the season (2.4 bpg).

Coker scored the first seven points of the contest and forced the Pioneers into four turnovers to start the game. Trailing 11-2, the Pioneers scored the final five points of the first quarter to trim the deficit to 11-7 at the end of 10 minutes of play.

Leading 11-9 in the early moments of the second quarter, the Cobras extended their advantage to 22-11 following an 11-2 spurt. But TC responded with 11 straight points to tie the game at 22-22. The 11-0 run was started by Johnson and her three-pointer and eight consecutive points from Whitener, including a three-point field goal and a three-point play.

Coker's Kiara Shoats scored a jumper with 1:15 remaining in the half in what would be the final bucket of the period as the Cobras took a 24-22 lead into the locker room.

Tusculum started the third quarter with an 8-2 spark to take a 30-26 lead, its first lead of the afternoon. But the Cobras fought back with a 7-0 run to move ahead 33-30 with 5:09 left in the period.

Lambert extended the Coker lead out to 36-32 following her three-pointer. Tusculum closed out the quarter with a 7-2 run, including Callie Patterson's 15-footer just before the horn as TC led 39-38 heading into the final frame.

The Cobras regained the lead 41-40 with a Shoats' three-pointer with 9:05 left in the game. Tusculum followed with six straight points to take its largest lead of the game at 46-41 with 7:10 to go after a McMillion layup.

Tusculum led again 52-48 after a Patterson layup, but Coker scored four points on its next two possessions. Williams came up with three straight offensive rebounds on three missed Coker shots, before making the fourth field goal attempt during the possession. Jazz Green came up with a steal and layup on the next possession to tie the game at 52-52 with 2:52 to go.

Wilson went coast-to-coast after the made bucket by Coker to give TC a 54-52 lead. TC extended the lead to 56-52 with 2:11 remaining.

Coker scored on its next four possessions, including Williams three-point play with 1:08 remaining as Coker retook the lead at 57-56.

TC's Wilson was fouled and she made two free throws as the Pioneers led again 58-57. But Williams answered again with her second three-point play as the Cobras led again 60-58 with 45 seconds to go.

Wilson tied the game for a 10th time with her layup with 35 seconds left. Coker committed a turnover with 25 seconds left giving TC a chance to run the clock out to take the game-winning shot. But TC turnover with 5.8 seconds left opened the door for the Cobras as Williams scored the game-winning layup.

Tusculum finished the game shooting 23-of-46 from the floor, while Coker took 28 more shots than the visitors going 27-of-74 (36.5%).

Whitener's 17-point performance halts her five-game streak of scoring 20 or more points.

The Pioneers return to action Wednesday, January 6th when they host arch-rival Carson-Newman University for a 6 p.m. contest at Pioneer Arena.

- TC -