HARTSVILLE, S.C. --- Mya Wasswa led five Coker University players in double figures with a game-high 21 points to help the Cobras to an 87-71 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at the DeLoach Center.
Dasia Lambert finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Cobras (7-1, 2-0 SAC), who won their seventh straight game and snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Pioneers, who last lost to Coker nearly eight years ago on Dec. 19, 2015 by a 62-60 score.
Coker's defense forced Tusculum (3-4, 1-1 SAC) into a season-high 29 turnovers, which the Cobras turned into 27 points. Tusculum trailed 67-65 with eight minutes left, but Coker outscored the Pioneers 20-6 the rest of the game.
Faith Silva led the Pioneers with 18 points, including four three-pointers, while Ni'Kiah Chesterfield had 13 points, Aaliyah Vananda added 12 and five rebounds and Carleigh Wilson contributed 11 points. Tusculum shot 43.4 percent (23-for-53) from the field but went 10-for-20 on three-pointers.
Tusculum's 29 turnovers were its most since committing 30 turnovers at Clayton State on Nov. 30, 2013. The Pioneers did force the Cobras into 18 turnovers and had a 33-31 rebounding advantage, but Coker had 16 offensive rebounds and shot 46.2 percent (36-for-78) from the field.
Tusculum took an early 6-2 lead, but Coker scored on five of its next six possessions for a 10-0 run, capped by back-to-back layups from Kamari Thompson to go ahead 12-6 with 6:12 left in the first quarter. A three-pointer from Jenna Kallenberg in the final minutes of the quarter brought the Pioneers within 24-21 after one period.
The Pioneers stretched their run to 10-0 by opening the second quarter with a three-pointer from Silva and back-to-back baskets from Chesterfield to go up 28-24 with 7:24 to play in the first half. The teams would trade the lead back and forth before Tusculum went up 33-32 on two foul shots from Silva with 4:56 left, but Coker came back with a 14-1 run over three minutes to take a 46-34 lead on a putback from Wasswa with 1:53 left. Tusculum would respond with three three-pointers to end the half, two from Wilson and one from Kallenberg, to trail 46-43 at intermission.
The Pioneers shot a sizzling 55.2 percent (16-for-29) from the field in the first half, including 7-for-10 from three-point range. Silva and Wilson combined to go 5-for-5 from the field and scored eight points apiece in the opening half for Tusculum, as did Chesterfield on 4-for-6 shooting. Wasswa led all players with 15 points for the Cobras on 7-for-10 from the floor as Coker shot 47.5 percent (19-for-40) and forced the Pioneers into 12 turnovers.
Five straight points from Chesterfield in the first two minutes of the third quarter tied the game at 48-48, but Tusculum would go scoreless for nearly four minutes as Coker ran off eight in a row to go up 56-48 with 4:42 left on two free throws from Rodriguez. The Pioneers fought back to within 61-60 on a three-pointer by Wilson with 1:30 left in the third, but two baskets from Wasswa in the final 75 seconds gave Coker a 65-60 lead heading to the fourth.
The Pioneers pulled back within 67-65 on a layup from Silva with 8:35 left and appeared to take the lead moments later on a three-pointer, but it was waved off due to an offensive foul. Coker would then score seven straight points to go up 74-65, and Tusculum would score its final field goal on a jumper by Artasia Cole with 4:56 left.
Vananda went 7-for-10 from the free-throw line for the Pioneers, who were 15-for-19 at the stripe as a team. Tusculum received 17 points from its bench, led by six points along with five rebounds from Kallenberg and five points from Simona Henshaw.
Thompson scored 13 points and had six of her eight rebounds on the offensive glass for Coker, while Rodriguez finished with 13 points and five steals and Kristynn Knight had 12 points and a game-high six assists.
The Pioneers will host Carson-Newman on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Pioneer Arena. The Eagles (6-1, 1-0 SAC) defeated Limestone 96-72 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.
