The Pioneers (4-5) fall despite the outstanding 33-point performance by two-time All-American Jasmine Gunn. Gunn shot 13-of-26 from the floor, including a three-pointer and fired 6-of-8 from the free throw line.
The Bears (5-2) placed four players in double figures, including Williams, Kyria Buford (16), Victoria Tanner (11) and Janelle Harrison (10). Harrison nearly missed the rare triple-double as she finished with a game-high 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists.
Tusculum junior Staci Hicks added 11 points, while sophomore Kendal Baxter tallied 10 points, all coming in the opening half. Senior Jasmine Parker recorded nine markers and nine boards, while Catherine Hintz added six points and five rebounds in the loss.
Shaw rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half, including a nine-point margin with 4:24 remaining in the contest. Trailing 69-60, the Bears mounted a 14-4 run over a span of 3:50 to take a 74-73 lead following a three-pointer by Spencer with 32 seconds remaining. It was the Bears first lead of the game since the 17:24 mark of the opening period.
After a pair of missed shots by Tusculum, Williams was fouled as she connected on a pair of free throws with 15 seconds remaining as Shaw led 76-73. Gunn cut the deficit back to one at 76-75 with her driving lay-up with 7.8 seconds left. Kyria Buford made one of two free throws with five seconds remaining, opening the door for Tusculum to tie the game. The Pioneers got the ball to Gunn, who drove to the lane, but the ball went out of bounds off her leg with 0.4 seconds left as the Bears held on the for the victory, 77-75.
With the score tied 12-12 in the first half, the Pioneers went on a 21-5 run thanks to three-point plays by Hicks and Gunn and a three-pointer by Baxter as Tusculum led 33-17 with 6:34 left before halftime. The Bears trimmed the TC lead back to single digits at 41-33 after a Jackie Sanders three-point play. Gunn buried a pair of free throws and Hicks converted a lay-up as Tusculum led 45-35 at the intermission.
The Bears shot 22-of-34 from the foul line, including 11-of-14 in the second half (78.6%), while Tusculum shot 66.7 percent in its dozen trips to the foul line (8-of-12). Tusculum won the rebound-battle by a 47-41 margin.
Gunn accounted for her ninth 30-point outing of her career as she recorded her 1,800th career point (1803 – 3rd in TC history/8th in South Atlantic Conference history).
The Pioneers return to South Atlantic Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 30 as they host Brevard College for a 5 p.m. league tilt at Pioneer Arena.
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