Wingate, N.C.----The Tusculum College Pioneers defeated Wingate University 67-60 in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena. The Pioneers improve to 10-7 overall and 3-4 in the SAC. Wingate falls to 10-8 on the year and 3-4 in the conference.

Freshman guard Kendal Baxter (Sevierville, Tenn.) led the Tusculum attack with 16 points, knocking down four three pointers on the afternoon. Junior guard Jasmine Gunn (Nashville, Tenn.) added 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Junior center Catherine Hintz (Hastings, Minn.) added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Wingate sophomore guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) led all scorers with 18 points, adding a team-high 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Britney Mitchell (Indian Trail, N.C.) added 12 points and nine rebounds. Freshman guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) handed out a game-high five assists for the Bulldogs.

A layup from Gunn seven minutes into the game put Tusculum on top 14-11. The Bulldogs battled back, taking a 17-16 lead at the 10:19 mark on a jumper from Mitchell. A jumper from junior forward CC Brooks (Mount Holly, N.C.) put the Bulldogs on top by two with eight minutes remaining in the half.

The Pioneers answered with a 6-0 run, capped by a three from Baxter at the five-minute mark to make it 25-21. Another Baxter three at the 2:52 mark gave Tusculum a 31-24 advantage. A jumper from Baxter made it 36-28 with 40 seconds left in the half. Brooks answered with a jumper with 10 seconds remaining. The Pioneers got a bucket from junior guard Jasmine Parker (Rex, Ga.) at the buzzer to take a 38-30 lead into intermission.

A jumper from freshman forward Ellen Holton (Elgin, Ill.) four minutes into the second half gave Tusculum its largest lead of the game at 46-34. Wingate answered with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to three. Washington scored the final seven points of the spurt, capped with a three at the 12:05 mark to make it 46-43.

The Pioneers pushed the lead back to eight, getting a three from Baxter along with a pair of free throws from sophomore forward Staci Hicks (Loveland, Ohio) with 9:33 remaining in the game. Wingate responded with an 8-1 run to cut the lead to one. Brooks got it started with a three, while Wollett capped it with a free throw at the 5:57 mark.

Tusculum again had the answer, pushing the lead back to five at the 1:30 mark on a jumper from Hintz. A pair of free throws from Mitchell trimmed the lead to three with 55 seconds to go. Gunn answered with a layup, then iced the game with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining.

The Pioneers shot 37.5 percent from the field, while hitting six-of-22 from beyond the arc (27.3 percent). The Bulldogs shot 31.9 percent from the field, while knocking down four-of-14 three point attempts (28.6 percent). Tusculum held a 49-41 rebounding advantage, while collecting 14 second chance points compared to Wingate’s 11.

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, hosting Lenoir-Rhyne at 6 p.m. Tusculum is also in action Wednesday, hosting Mars Hill at 6 p.m.