GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - After a sluggish start, the No. 4 University of North Georgia women's basketball team clawed all the way back to cut a Tusculum lead to as few as one, but the Nighthawks could get no further in a 54-38 loss on the road Wednesday evening to the Pioneers.

Tusculum jumped out to an 14-2 lead after one quarter and led 22-4 before the Nighthawks stormed back on a 17-0 run to make the Pioneer lead a single point. After the two teams traded buckets, TU went on an 11-0 run to stretch the lead back to double figures where it remained throughout.

NOTES
- The 38 points scored is the lowest total since January 17, 2011, in a 74-35 loss to USC Aiken.

- Jamari McDavid and Tija Blackwell led UNG with eight points each.

- UNG was just 12-for-52 from the floor.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will look to bounce back in the Peach Belt opener Saturday at home against Georgia College. Scheduled start time is 1:30 p.m.