GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Ashli Oliver poured in a career-high 32 points while establishing a pair of South Atlantic Conference records as Tusculum College defeated visiting Mars Hill College 93-68 Wednesday night at Pioneer Arena.
Oliver connected on a school and SAC single-game record 10 three-pointers. She shot 11-for-16 from the floor, including 10-of-15 from beyond the arc. Oliver also established a new SAC single-season mark posting 95 three-point field goals so far this season. Oliver's 10 treys are tied for the most in NCAA Division II this season and are tied for the 13th most in NCAA II history.
The Pioneers also established a new TC and SAC record with 18 three-pointers as a team. TC shot 18-for-33 from long-range (54.5%), including a sizzling 14-for-22 in the second half as TC outscored the Lady Lions by a 58-34 margin in the final 20 minutes.
Tusculum's Brooke Underwood shined in her final game at Pioneer Arena as she tied a school record with her 14 assists, to go along with seven points and a pair of steals.
Diana Neves tallied 21 points and senior Chassity Martin rounded out the double-figure scorers for Tusculum with 14 points, including her 1,000th point of her career. Martin becomes only the 11th player in recorded school history to score over 1,000 points in her TC career.
Abby DeBusk led MHC with 21 points converting 10-of-12 field goals. Lindsay Roberts added 11 points and six rebounds in the contest.
Tusculum edged the Lions in rebounds, 38-to-31. MHC scored 44 points in the paint while TC scored 35 points off of Lion miscues.
Roberts gave MHC a 2-0 advantage seven seconds into the contest and the Lions would lead until the last two seconds of the first frame. MHC led by as many as 12 points (21-9) with 12:31 left in the first half after Jessica Blanford hit a shot in the paint. TC then went on a 26-to-13 run to end the half and take a 35-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half belonged to the Pioneers. TC converted on 58.8 percent (20-34) of their field goals in the second stanza. After leading by a single point (45-44) with 14:43 left in regulation, TC went on a 27-to-6 run to take a 22-point lead with nine minutes remaining after Oliver hit a 3-pointer. TC led by as many as 32 points (87-55) with 6:21 remaining after Oliver hit another long-range jumper. The impressive second half shooting performance was too much for the Lions to overcome and TC held on for a 93-68 win.
Tusculum improved to 15-12 overall and 7-9 in the SAC. The Lions fell to 14-12 on the season and 7-8 in the conference. The Pioneers end their regular season schedule with the win and will await the Food Lion SAC Tournament pairings that will be announced this Sunday. MHC will play at Lenoir-Rhyne College on Saturday night at 6 p.m.
