GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Senior forward Rainey Story scored a season-high 23 points to lead the Tusculum College women's basketball team to an 82-72 victory over Brevard College on Wednesday night inside Pioneer Arena. Sophomore forward Maelyn Cutshaw finished with 19 points for the Pioneers (3-7, 3-4 South Atlantic Conference).

Junior guard Shynese Whitener scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half and had a game-high five steals. Junior forward Kristen McMillion tallied 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while sophomore forward Jessica Hairston added nine points off the bench. Story finished with a game-high nine rebounds and was 7-of-14 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free throw stripe.

TC held a slim 70-66 lead after a layup by the Tornados' (2-8, 1-6 SAC) Taylor Hiatt with 3:18 to play. After a missed three pointer by BC's Katie Williams, Story hit a transition layup and was fouled. She converted the old fashion three-point-play and gave the Pioneers a 73-66 lead with 2:30 showing on the clock.

However, Williams responded with back-to-back three pointers in the next two offensive possessions for Brevard to the cut the Pioneer lead to just 75-72 with 1:36 to play. Story missed a layup on the other end of the court but Whitener grabbed the offensive board and was fouled going for the put back lay-in. She hit both free throws to give TC a 77-72 lead with just over a minute remaining in the game.

BC's Madison Lenox missed a layup on the other end of the floor that would have pushed the score back to a one possession game, but was forced to foul McMillion after she grabbed the rebound to stop the clock. McMillion hit one of two at the line to give Tusculum a six point advantage with 48 seconds remaining.

Brevard's last true chance to get back into the game was on a three-point attempt by Williams in the next trip down the court but it didn't fall. However, the Tornados' Hadara Bannister grabbed the offensive board but Whitener quickly came from behind and stole the ball away. TC hit four-straight free throws to seal the 10-point victory in the final 30 seconds of the game.

BC was led by Williams who finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Lenox tallied 17 points while Bannister and Whitney DeMoss had 11 and 10 points respectively. With the victory, the Pioneers sweep the season series from Brevard for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign after defeating the Tornados on the road back on Nov. 25.

TC forced 26 Brevard turnovers and turned them into 28 points. The Pioneers also had a 20-7 advantage on second chance points with the help of 12 offensive rebounds and out-scored BC in the paint 42-34. TC also assisted on 15 of its 27 made baskets, five coming from Cutshaw.

In the first half, the lead changed hands on ten occasions and the score was tied seven times. Tusculum led by as many as five on two occasions, but trailed by one with just over a minute before halftime. After a missed layup by Story, Bannister grabbed the rebound and looked to set up the Tornados for the last shot of the half with just 26 seconds remaining. However, Williams committed a turnover with 10 seconds before the break and Cutshaw hit a layup as time expired to send TC to the locker room with a 45-44 lead at the break.

Tusculum will be back in action on Saturday (Jan. 10) when it plays host to Lenoir-Rhyne. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. inside Pioneer Arena.