Newberry rallied to 62-55 win over No. 23 Tusculum, Gunn scores 30 in loss

NEWBERRY, S.C. --- The Newberry College women’s basketball team rallied from a 13-point first half deficit to defeat 23rd-ranked Tusculum College, 62-55 Saturday afternoon at Eleazer Arena in South Atlantic Conference action.

The loss spoils the outstanding performance by Tusculum All-American Jasmine Gunn (Nashville, Tenn.) as she posted a season-high 30 points connecting on a career-best 14 field goals on 22 attempts.

Newberry’s Helen McKinney (Owensboro, Ky.) led her team with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Jessica Bearzatto (Melbourne, Australia) and Briana Johnson (Irmo, S.C.) tallied 13 points apiece in the victory.

Both teams played stifling defense as either squad shot above 36 percent for the game (NEW 35.7%, TC 34.4%).

The lead exchanged hands three times early in the first half, but the Pioneers (3-4, 0-1 SAC) went on a 20-6 run over a span of eight minutes to take a 29-16 advantage with 2:38 remaining in period, following a Gunn three-pointer.

The Wolves (5-2, 1-1 SAC) closed out the half with six straight points, including Bearzatto’s jumper at the buzzer to trim the deficit to 29-22 at the intermission.

Newberry closed the gap to within one at 33-32 with 16:13 left in the game thanks to a 10-4 spurt to start the second period, capped off by a McKinney three-pointer.  Tusculum would up its lead back to six (41-35) thanks to a pair of baskets by Gunn and two free throws from sophomore Fayola Moise (Larchmont, N.Y.) with 13:05 on the clock.

With TC leading 43-38 at the midway point of the half, Newberry orchestrated a 9-0 run over a 3:26 span as Newberry regained the lead 47-43 with 6:13 remaining.  The Pioneers tied the game at 47-47 thanks to a three-point play from Gunn.  But the Wolves would score six in a row, including four markers by Bearzatto to lead again 53-47 with 3:36 remaining.

Tusculum would get as close as four points on four separate occasions for the rest of the game, but the Wolves connect on seven of their final eight free throws to seal the win.

Tusculum junior Linda Aughburns (Fayetteville, N.C.) led all players with 11 rebounds to along with her seven points.  Junior Staci Hicks (Loveland, Ohio) posted seven points and eight rebounds, while Moise added a season-best eight boards for the Pioneers.

For Gunn, it marked the eighth 30-point outing of her storied career and second against Newberry.

Tusculum out-rebounded the Wolves by a 44-38 margin, but Newberry outscored the Tusculum bench 18-7 in the contest.

After a grueling seven-game swing that saw the Pioneers travel over 2,100-miles, Tusculum will host King College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in TC’s home-opener.