GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's basketball team will attempt to bounce back from just its second loss of the season when the Pioneers hit the road this week for a pair of games.
The Pioneers visit Queens University of Charlotte on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the makeup of a game originally scheduled for Jan. 20, then will head to Mars Hill on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in their second meeting of the season with the Lions.
Tusculum (11-2, 11-2 SAC) enters the week in second place in the South Atlantic Conference standings, falling out of the top spot following their 66-50 loss to Anderson on Wednesday at Pioneer Arena. The Pioneers will attempt to hold on to at least a top-three spot in the league standings in order to receive a bye in the revised SAC Championship tournament bracket. Carson-Newman currently leads the way at 10-1, followed by the Pioneers at 11-2, Catawba at 5-1 and UVA Wise at 9-2.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Senior center Maddie Sutton continues to crank out double-doubles on a nightly basis, earning her NCAA-leading 11th of the season against Anderson with 15 points and 18 rebounds. She has led the Pioneers in rebounding in all 13 games, and enters the week ranked second in Division II in rebounding at 15.6 per game. Sutton has recorded seven double-doubles in a row, and her 11 this season are the most since 2008-09, when Stephany Neptune had 13 double-doubles.
Junior guard Marta Rodrigues matched her season low with two assists against Anderson, but reached double figures in scoring for the fourth time in the last six games with 11 points. Rodrigues has played all but three minutes over the past four games (167 of 170), and is averaging 8.8 points per game over that span while shooting 11-for-46 (23.9 percent) from the field.
Senior guard Brianna Dixon was held to seven points against Anderson after averaging 17.7 points over the previous three games. Dixon has also been racking up major minutes on the floor, playing 166 of 170 minutes over the last four games. Dixon has hit 5-for-6 from three-point range over the last three games.
Senior guard Jalia Arnwine went without a field goal for the second time in the last four games against Anderson, shooting 0-for-9 from the floor. Arnwine is 1-for-15 from three-point range over that span, as her scoring average has dipped to 12.2 points per game.
Senior guard Aliyah Miller has regained her scoring touch since moving to a bench role at the start of the new year. Miller has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time since going for 20-plus in each of the first two games of the season, and is averaging 10.0 points per game over the last four contests while shooting 6-for-15 from three-point range.
Tusculum continues to lead the SAC in scoring defense (55.5 points per game), field-goal defense (33.2 percent) and three-point defense (24.1 percent). The Pioneers are second in the conference in fewest turnovers per game (14.5) and total rebounds per game (43.5), but have slipped to third in three-pointers made per game (8.5).
SCOUTING THE ROYALS
Queens (1-10, 1-9 SAC) is coming off three losses last week in which they allowed an average of 94 points per game. The Royals have given up 93 or more points in each of its last four losses, interrupted by their only win of the season, a 74-60 victory over Mars Hill on Jan. 30.
Sophomore guard Kalaya Hall is the Royals' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game (5th in the SAC). She is coming off a season-high 26 points in Saturday's 93-62 loss at Carson-Newman in which she went 5-for-10 from three-point range.
Queens has been hampered by the absences of senior guard Kristian Eanes and freshman guard Kristy Hamze, each missing the last six games since Jan. 3. Eanes, a preseason second-team All-SAC pick who went over 1,000 career points in December, is averaging 14.0 points per game while Hamze was averaging 13.8 points per contest.
Queens ranks last in the SAC in scoring average (60.9 ppg), rebounds per game (32.1), rebound margin (minus-13.1) and field goal defense (46.7 percent), while ranking next-to-last in scoring defense (80.2 ppg) and three-point defense (36.5 percent).
Tusculum has defeated Queens in six straight meetings, with each victory by nine points or more including a 58-49 home win in the last matchup on Feb. 8, 2020. The Pioneers lead the all-time series 14-3, including a 6-2 mark on the road with three consecutive victories. Queens' last win came by a 58-56 score in the regular-season finale on Feb. 25, 2017.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
The Lions (1-11, 1-11 SAC) have dropped 11 in a row since an 83-78 win over Queens in their season opener on Dec. 8. Mars Hill hosts Lenoir-Rhyne on Monday prior to Wednesday's contest with the Pioneers.
Senior guard DeJa Marshall enters the week second in the SAC in both scoring (20.0 ppg) and rebounding (12.8 rpg). Marshall has seven double-doubles this season, but none in her last three games. She finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds in the Lions' 69-46 loss at Tusculum on Jan. 13.
Senior guard Gabby Gianikos is the only other player in double figures for the Lions at 13.2 points per game, scoring double digits in nine of the last 10 and six in a row since being held to eight by the Pioneers.
Mars Hill is last in the conference in made field goals (22.1 per game), made three-pointers (3.8 per game) and turnovers (19.4 per game), while also ranking last in scoring defense at 82.7 points per game. The Lions are fourth in the conference in both free throws made (14.3) and attempted (20.9) per game.
Tusculum has won seven straight meetings with Mars Hill, and the Pioneers are looking for their fourth straight season series sweep. Their seven wins have come by a margin of 37.3 points per game, and have given the Pioneers a 28-25 edge in the all-time series with the Lions.
FOLLOW THE GAMES
Brian Stayton "The Voice of the Pioneers" will describe all the action of Tusculum women's basketball on the Pioneer Sports Network, with pregame coverage starting 15 minutes before tip. Fans can listen locally on WSMG Radio at 95.5 FM and 1450 AM, and on-line at jewel955.com. Live video and live stats links for all games are available at www.TusculumPioneers.com.