Shynese Whitener hit the game-tying three-pointer with 13.4 seconds left in regulation, and Maelyn Head scored nine of her career-high 27 points in overtime as Tusculum College rallied to defeat Wingate University 82-73 in a South Atlantic Conference Women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Arena.

Whitener's three-pointer was part of a 26-point performance from the Tusculum senior, and gave the Pioneers (10-7, 8-6 SAC) their third straight win while moving them into sole possession of sixth place in the SAC standings with eight games left in the regular season. The win also finished off the Pioneers' first sweep of the season series from the Bulldogs (10-7, 7-6 SAC) since the 2009-10 season. It was also the fifth time this season that Tusculum has won a game when trailing at the start of the fourth period, including both meetings with Wingate.

Four players reached double figures for the Pioneers, including Sydney Wilson who came off the bench to score 12 points, including a three-pointer early in overtime that would erase the final lead of the game for the Bulldogs. Kasey Johnson added 11 points for Tusculum, while Kristen McMillion had a team season-high of 16 rebounds before fouling out late in regulation.

Wingate was led by Danasia Witherspoon and Kristina Rumplasch, who finished with 14 points and six rebounds apiece. Courtney Robinson added 12 points and four rebounds while Caroline Averette came off the bench to tally 10 points and four boards. Wingate shot 41.4 percent (29-for-70) from the field but outrebounded Tusculum by a 45-37 margin, with 19 of those boards coming on the offensive glass.

Head's 27 points came on 7-for-13 shooting from the field, including 5-for-7 from three-point range, and 8-for-10 at the foul line. The junior from nearby South Greene High School surpassed her previous best of 21 points set last season against Lincoln Memorial. Whitener, who entered the game as the SAC's leading scorer at 19.0 points per game, was 9-for-20 from the field, including her tying three-pointer, and went 7-for-8 from the line. Both Head and Whitener played all 45 minutes for the Pioneers, who lost two players to fouls in the fourth period.

Tusculum trailed 50-44 at the start of the fourth quarter, and fell behind by as many as eight before using a 9-0 run to take the lead 55-54 on a putback by McMillion with 6:43 left. The teams exchanged the lead several times over the next few minutes, with Wingate going on top 61-60 on two foul shots by Averette with 1:40 remaining.

Head hit two from the line to push the Pioneers back on top 62-61 with 55 seconds remaining, only to see the Bulldogs regain the advantage at 63-62 following a fast-break layup from Robinson. After a missed shot by the Pioneers, Averette hit two free throws with just over 21 seconds left to extend the Wingate lead to 65-62. However, Whitener came down the court and drilled a three from the top of the arc to knot the game with 13.4 seconds on the clock. A game-winning shot attempt by Wingate was off-target, and the teams went to overtime tied at 65-65.

Morgan McGee hit a basket in the opening minute to give the Bulldogs a 67-65 lead, before Wilson connected from downtown to push the Pioneers back on top 68-67 with 3:55 to play. Wingate tied the score on a free throw from Alex Tomlinson with 3:34 remaining, but Johnson sank a layup on Tusculum's next possession and the Pioneers would not trail again.

The Pioneers were able to put the game away from the foul line, as Head went 4-for-4 at the stripe, Kristen Atwell hit a pair and Whitener hit one in the final 40 seconds. In the game, the Pioneers went 23-for-31 (74.2 percent) at the foul line while the Bulldogs connected on just 13-for-27 (48.1 percent).

Wingate used an 8-2 run over the final 2 1/2 minutes of the first quarter to take a 17-9 lead, then expanded the margin to 11 points at 20-9 following a layup from Alysia Hudson. The Pioneers responded with 10 straight points to pull within a point at 20-19 on a jumper by Whitener with 6:54 to go in the half. Tusculum would take the lead at 23-22 following two free throws from Whitener with 3:51 to play in the period, and built the lead to as many as six points before a layup just before the buzzer brought the Bulldogs within 30-28 at intermission.

Whitener led the Pioneers with 12 points in the first half on 4-for-8 shooting, while Head had nine points and went 3-for-3 from three-point range. Witherspoon led the Bulldogs with nine points and five rebounds in the first half, but Wingate shot 12-for-33 (36.4 percent) from the field while allowing Tusculum to connect on 47.6 (10-for-21) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.

The score was tied three times in the third period before Wingate went on an 11-4 run to go on top 49-42 on a layup by Averette with 1:21 left. A late foul shot by the Bulldogs gave them a 50-44 lead heading into the fourth and final period. Johnson accounted for six of the Pioneers' 14 points in the period by going 3-for-3 from the field.

With her 26-point performance, Whitener moved within two points of becoming the 14th player in program history to surpass 1,100 career points. McMillion blocked two shots against Wingate and needs two more to become the sixth player in school history with 100 career blocks.

Tusculum will be back on their road for their next two games, starting Wednesday night at Anderson against the Trojans, who entered the Week ranked 15th in the WBCA Division II Top 25 poll and is in sole possession of first place in the SAC at 11-2 (13-3 overall). Anderson defeated Tusculum 59-56 at Pioneer Arena on December 8. Game time from the Abney Athletic Center in Anderson, South Carolina will be 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3.