DAHLONEGA – With a 72-57 win over Tuskegee at Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center Monday night, the University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team moved to 6-0 on the season. The Nighthawks have now started three of the last four seasons with a perfect record through six games.The 15-point victory over the Golden Tigers on Monday marked the team's fourth double-digit victory of the season. 

For the second consecutive games, freshman guard Averie Jones exploded in the scoring column to lift her team to a win. 

After scoring a career-high 25 points in an 88-68 win over Allen in the last game, Jones followed that up with a game-high 21 points against Tuskegee. She finished one rebound shy of her first career double-double, snagging nine boards to go along with an assist and steal.

Going 7-for-10 from the floor, 3-for-3 from deep and 4-for-4 at the free throw line, Jones bolstered what has already been an efficient season. On the season, the first-year Nighthawk is third on the team in scoring (12.3 points per game) and shooting 50 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from three-point range and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. She leads UNG in the latter two shooting categories. 

Joining the rookie in double figures were a pair of veterans and graduate students in guard Caroline Martin and forward Emily Trushel. 

Martin battled a hounding Golden Tiger defense to put up 13 points, six rebounds and six assists while adding two blocks and two steals defensively. She had another strong night at the free throw line going 6-for-7 at the stripe.

Trushel posted 12 points, five rebounds and two steals while going 7-for-8 at the stripe in her fourth double-digit scoring effort of the season. 

In a game in which the Nighthawks did not lead by double digits until the final stages of the fourth quarter, Trushel went on a run in the fourth quarter to put the game on ice. 

Holding a slim five-point lead, the Brentwood, Tenn. native poked one of her two steals which led to a transition layup in which she was fouled before the shot. Trushel made both free throws to extend the lead to seven. Moments later, she drew another foul and again made both free throws to put her team up eight points.  After a stop on defense, Trushel got the ball near the top of the key on the next offensive possession. She drove to her right, stopped on a dime, watched her defender sail past her and drilled a three-pointer to stretch the lead to double digits. 

After Trushel's individual 7-0 run the Nighthawks never looked back, maintaining the double-digit lead until the final buzzer. 

Other highlight performances included nine points, three assists and two rebounds from senior guard Ansley Hall. Sophomore forward Kendall Emener posted eight points and tied a career-high with 11 rebounds despite missing significant time in foul trouble in the first half.

Emener's performance on the glass marked her second consecutive game grabbing 10 or more rebounds. She had only reached double figure rebounding twice in total last season but now has three different outings of nine or more rebounds this year and is averaging 6.7 boards per contest to lead UNG.

The Nighthawks will look to remain perfect this season as they start Peach Belt Conference play on the road on Saturday, Dec. 7 against Clayton State. Tip off from Morrow, Ga. is set for 6 p.m.