WISE, Va. --- Nia Vanzant scored a game-high 23 points to lead the UVA Wise women's basketball team to a 69-62 South Atlantic Conference win over visiting Tusculum University Saturday afternoon at the Prior Center.
Vanzant went 8-of-12 from the floor including 4-of-6 from three-point territory. Kalee Johnson added 19 points for the Cavs (2-4, 2-2 SAC) including 8-of-10 from the free throw line while also hauling in a team-best five rebounds and recorded five steals.
Tusculum's Jalia Arnwine accounted for 13 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Deidre Cheremond posted 11 points off the bench, while also grabbing a game-high six rebounds in her 13 minutes of action. Jordan Rogers added 12 points and Jenna Kallenberg finished with nine markers and four boards in the loss.
UVA Wise, who led 34-29 at halftime, opened the third quarter with a 17-6 run in a 6:53 span to take its largest lead of the game at 51-35 and would maintain that 16-point edge 57-41 at the end of the third period.
The Pioneers (1-5, 0-4 SAC) responded by scoring the first nine points of the final quarter and cut the once double-digit deficit to 61-59 following a Kallenberg triple and an Arnwine layup with 1:47 left in the contest.
Johnson converted a basket for Wise to push the advantage back out to four, but Cheremond would make it a two-point game again at 63-61 with one minute remaining on the clock. Johnson scored again with 31 seconds left to make it 65-61. TU's Jordan Rogers would be fouled as she made one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 65-62 with 22 seconds to go.
UVA Wise would get a three-point play from Crawford with 11 seconds left to put the game out of reach.
The Pioneers won the rebound battle by a 36-26 margin including 10-5 on the offensive boards. TU also outscored the Cavaliers in bench points, 38-6.
Both teams finished the game shooting 45 percent from the field and each would connect on five 3-pointers. Wise went 18-of-25 from the free throw line (72%) while the Pioneers would go 7-of-9 at the foul line (78%). TU committed 22 turnovers while the Cavs had 14 miscues.
Tusculum returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Queens University of Charlotte for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.
