Jasmine Parker also reached double figures with 11 points for the Pioneers (2-3), who committed just five turnovers while converting 21 Greyhound miscues into 34 points en route to sweeping both of their games at the Thanksgiving Classic. Tusculum defeated Lewis 93-82 in their tournament opener Friday night.
The win over the 7th-ranked Greyhounds (4-1) marks the highest-ranked opponent ever defeated by Tusculum, and gives the Pioneers back-to-back wins after opening the season with three consecutive losses. After averaging 53.7 points in their first three games, the Pioneers averaged 88.0 points in victories over Lewis and Indianapolis.
Hicks, who surpassed her previous career high of 15 points set against Mars Hill on January 27, 2010, went 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-6 from the foul line for the Pioneers and just missed equaling her season high with eight rebounds. Overall, Tusculum shot 46.0 percent (29-for-63) from the field and had a strong afternoon at the foul line by going 22-for-26 (84.6 percent).
Samantha Meissel led the Greyhounds with a game-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds, while Katie Lyons also reached double figures with 14 points. Indianapolis shot 47.2 percent (25-for-53) from the field but hit just one three-pointer in nine attempts.
Indianapolis took an early 6-2 lead, but Tusculum came back to take the lead for good at 13-12 following a basket by Parker with 12:47 left in the first half. The Pioneers slowly built the lead until reaching double figures at 27-16 following a fast-break layup by Gunn with 6:00 left in the half.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Kendal Baxter closed out the scoring in the first half and doubled a six-point Tusculum lead to 12 at 39-27 at intermission. Gunn led all players with 11 points in the first half, while Meissel paced the Greyhounds with nine points and six boards.
Tusculum continued to expand the lead in the second half, taking a 47-29 lead on a basket by Hicks with 16:32 left. Indianapolis trimmed the lead to 10 at 56-46 following two free throws by Kristin Turner with 10:40 remaining, but consecutive hoops by Gunn, Parker and Linda Aughburns expanded the Pioneer lead back to 16 at 62-46 with 9:15 left.
Two foul shots by Gunn gave Tusculum its largest lead of the day at 75-52 with 4:54 to go, and Gunn added four more points in the final 2 1/2 minutes to put away the victory for the Pioneers.
Aughburns finished with nine points and five rebounds for the Pioneers, while Baxter added eight points in 20 minutes off the bench. Fayola Moise chipped in with four points and three boards in 16 minutes in a reserve role, and Brittni Oliver tallied seven points along with three steals in 31 minutes of action.
The Pioneers will be right back on the court Monday evening, making the short trip to Bristol to face off with King College beginning at 6 p.m.
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