Jan. 11, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman junior guard Ashley Tipton leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage in the second installment of NCAA statistics released earlier this week..

Tipton (Knoxville, Tenn. - Farragut High School) in knocking down 55.8 percent (38-of-68) of her three-point shots, leading Seattle's Chelsie Morrison, who is shooting 53.5 percent (23-of-43). Tipton is averaging 2.9 three-point field goals made per game, good for 16th nationally.

The Knoxville-native knocked down 6-of-7 from long range in an 86-65 win at West Virginia State. Tipton finished the game with 18 points. She also tied the school record for highest three-point percentage in a single game (min. five attempts).

As a freshman, Tipton set the school-record for three-point field goal percentage in a season, shooting at a 47.1 percent clip (41-of-87). She has hit 117 triples in her career (1.6 per game), and is on pace to set the career record at C-N for three-point field goals made.

Tipton has a chance to set some national records if she remains on her current pace. The national record for percentage a season is 56.3, reached in both 1990 and 1998. She is currently one made three off that pace.

While it is still a long way off, the national career record for percentage is 47.1, and Tipton is currently three made triples off of that pace.

As a team, Carson-Newman (6-7, 1-1 SAC) is 4th in the country in rebounding margin (+12.8 per game). The Lady Eagles are also 7th-nationally in three-point field goal percentage.

C-N returns to action Saturday to face Mars Hill College. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. in Mars Hill, North Carolina.