Greeneville, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team picked up a hard-fought road victory on Wednesday evening, defeating Tusculum 68–63 at Pioneer Arena. The Tornado improved to 2–4 overall (0–1 Conference Carolinas), while Tusculum fell to 0–5 (0–1 SAC).
Game Flow
King established control early, outscoring Tusculum in each of the first three quarters. The Tornado led 31–21 at halftime and extended their advantage to 46–34 after three periods. Tusculum mounted a furious rally in the fourth quarter, scoring 29 points, but King held firm with 22 points of their own to secure the five-point win.
King Highlights
- Alayna Smith led the Tornado with a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds. She added two assists and a steal in 25 minutes of play.
- Aliyah Hawkins contributed 13 points, five assists, and two steals while playing a team-high 36 minutes.
- Mary Elizabeth Fox added 12 points and 12 rebounds for another double-double, giving King a strong presence in the paint.
- Jaelyn West chipped in nine points, including three three-pointers, while Ashley Allen scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds.
- King dominated the boards, finishing with a 56–38 rebounding advantage, including 24 offensive rebounds that led to 17 second-chance points.
As a team, King shot 34.8 percent from the field (23-of-66) and 51.5 percent from the free-throw line (17-of-33). The Tornado also forced 15 Tusculum turnovers, converting them into 18 points.
Tusculum Highlights
Tusculum was led by
Aisha Patel, who scored 14 points off the bench, hitting three three-pointers.
Martina Garofalo and
Angela Gomez each added 12 points, while
Ema Nagyova scored 10.
The Pioneers shot 34.5 percent from the field (20-of-58) and were efficient from beyond the arc, hitting 42.1 percent of their three-point attempts (8-of-19). Despite their late surge, Tusculum could not overcome King's rebounding dominance and second-chance opportunities.
Key Stats
- Rebounds: King 56, Tusculum 38
- Second-Chance Points: King 17, Tusculum 9
- Points in the Paint: King 30, Tusculum 22
- Bench Points: Tusculum 27, King 19
Conclusion
King's balanced scoring and rebounding strength proved decisive in a competitive matchup. With Smith and Fox controlling the glass and Hawkins orchestrating the offense, the Tornado secured their second win of the season and gained momentum heading into conference play.
Next Game
The Tornado will return to action on
Saturday, December 6, when they travel to
Banner Elk, N.C. to face
Lees-McRae College. Tip-off is scheduled for
2:00 p.m. ET at the Lees-McRae campus.
