SALISBURY, N.C. --- Five players scored in double-figures for Tusculum College, but Catawba College defeated the Pioneers 89-79 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon in Salisbury, North Carolina. Junior guard Shynese Whitener paced TC (5-14, 5-11 SAC) with 23 points, her second-highest scoring total this season.

Senior forward Rainey Story tallied 14 points off the bench in 23 minutes of action while going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. Sophomore guard Maelyn Cutshaw had 13 points, junior forward Kristen McMillion added 12 points with a team-high nine rebounds, and senior guard Blakeley Burleson registered 10 points. Whitener was 11-for-22 from the field with a pair of assists and a game-high four steals.

The Pioneers trailed by as many as 18 early in the second half, but a jumper by Whitener cut the Indian lead to just 76-69 with 4:26 remaining. Catawba (13-8, 10-6) scored the next four points before Whitener hit another jumper to bring the lead back to single digits. However, Catawba's Bri Johnson nailed a big three pointer in the next possession to set the score at 83-71 with 2:48 to play.

TC was able to cut the deficit to eight after a pair of free throws by Cutshaw made the score 85-77 with 54 seconds remaining. However, Catawba converted five of six free throws in the final minute to hold on to the 10-point victory.

The Indians had three 20-point scorers with Terri Rogers and Johnson leading the way with 24, and Zhaquondalee Greer adding 20. Catawba out-rebounded TC 48-36 and held a 36-28 advantage in points in the paint. Tusculum forced 20 Indian turnovers compared to just 14 of its own, and scored 22 points off those blunders.

McMillion opened the game with a jumper in TC's opening offensive possession, but the lead was be short lived and the Pioneers were never able to re-take it. Later in the first half, the Indians used a 13-7 run to take their biggest lead of the opening frame at 38-21 with 5:25 to play before the break.

The Pioneers answered with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 11 but found themselves behind 45-30 with 43 seconds to play before halftime. Burleson nailed her lone three pointer of the game to cut the deficit to 12, and Cutshaw hit a layup with nine seconds remaining to set the Catawba lead at 45-35 at the half.

Tusculum will be back in action on Wednesday night when it plays host to Lincoln Memorial at 6 p.m.