SALISBURY, N.C. --- Nala Baker sank seven three-pointers and scored a season-high 27 points as Catawba College defeated Tusculum University 88-81 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at Goodman Arena.
Janiya Foskey added 24 points and eight rebounds for the Indians (13-8, 11-6 SAC), who shot 39.5 percent (34-for-86) from the field as a team but grabbed 25 offensive rebounds which they turned into 24 second-chance points. Catawba outrebounded Tusculum 49-45 and scored 30 points off 20 Pioneer turnovers.
Ni'Kiah Chesterfield scored 22 points and had seven rebounds and Zoe Sharpe added a season-high 19 points for the Pioneers (7-14, 5-12 SAC), who trailed by 12 points early but rallied to briefly take the lead near the end of the third quarter. Chesterfield shot 9-for-16 from the field as the SAC scoring leader (19.3 ppg) reached the 20-point mark for the third time in the last four games and the eighth time this season.
Sharpe was 6-for-8 from the field, including a three-pointer, and was 6-for-10 at the foul line in 28 minutes while adding five rebounds and four assists. The freshman surpassed her previous high of 12 points set Jan. 15 against Lincoln Memorial, while her four assists were also a season best.
Baker added a team-high nine rebounds for the Indians, with her and Foskey each collecting six offensive boards. Baker made two three-pointers in each of the first three quarters, and added her fourth in the final minute after the Pioneers had pulled within 82-81. Baker's previous season high was 26 points on Nov. 26 at UVA Wise. Foskey reached 20 points for the fifth time this year and the second consecutive game.
Tusculum managed just two field goals in the first seven minutes of the game as Catawba built a 19-7 lead, but late baskets from Danyell Booker and Carleigh Wilson helped the Pioneers trim the deficit to 23-17 after one quarter.
Catawba would again stretch the lead to 12 points as a basket by Sydney Gueterman gave the Indians a 35-23 lead with 3:49 left in the first half. The Pioneers ran off eight straight points, including a three-pointer from Angela Gomez, to cut the margin to 35-31 with 2:35 remaining, but A 7-0 run from Catawba pushed the Indians on top 42-31 at halftime.
Baker made four threes in the first half and led all players with 14 points, while Foskey had eight points as the Indians shot 36.0 percent (18-for-50) and 5-for-17 from three-point range. Catawba had 15 offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to 12 second-chance points. Wilson led the Pioneers with seven points off the bench and Sharpe scored six points in the first half, with Tusculum shooting 39.3 percent (11-for-28) from the field and 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.
After trailing 52-43 following two free throws from Foskey with 7:11 left in the third quarter, the Pioneers ran off nine straight points with back-to-back threes from Sharpe and Jenna Kallenberg evening the score at 52 with 4:06 remaining. Baker hit a three-pointer to put Catawba up 59-54 with 2:18 left, but two baskets from Chesterfield around one from Wilson would give Tusculum its only lead at 60-59 with 59 seconds to play. Baker's sixth three-pointer of the day gave Catawba a 62-60 lead heading to the fourth period.
Foskey scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter for the Indians to stretch their lead to 72-64 with 6:33 left. Tusculum trailed 82-75 following a layup from Mary Spry with 2:32 to go, but the Pioneers drew back to within 82-81 on a layup by Jalyn Spurlin with 54 seconds left. Baker sank a three-pointer and was fouled with 30 seconds left, and off the free throw miss Catawba got the rebound and Baker made two foul shots with 24 seconds remaining for an 87-81 lead. Bailee Goodlett added another free throw with six seconds to play to set the final score.
Spurlin, who scored her 1,000th career collegiate point against Limestone on Wednesday, had seven points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes for the Pioneers, while Wilson finished with nine points, five rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals. Abbi Douglas had seven points and led the Pioneers with nine rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Kallenberg hit two three-pointers and finished with six points.
Goodlett scored 10 points and had five rebounds and four assists for the Indians, with Julie Janus adding seven points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals in 24 minutes.
Tusculum will begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 5 against Emory & Henry, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Pioneer Arena. The Wasps (6-17, 1-16 SAC) lost 74-72 against Wingate on Saturday, their third two-point loss in their last four games. Tusculum beat Emory & Henry 94-81 on the road in the first meeting of the season between the teams on Jan. 8.
