Women’s basketball dominates start, finish at St. Andrews
The Milligan College women’s basketball team followed a 26-2 first quarter with a 31-point fourth quarter to help seal a 79-65 win at St. Andrews University Thursday afternoon to open 2020.
LAURINBURG, N.C. (Jan. 2, 2020) – The Milligan College women's basketball team followed a 26-2 first quarter with a 31-point fourth quarter to help seal a 79-65 win at St. Andrews University Thursday afternoon to open 2020.
Halie Padgett picked up her third double-double of the season, leading Milligan with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Lily Griffith followed with 14 points, and Kaely Gose had seven points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
Tale of runs
The game was all about momentum swings, and Milligan started it with one of its best of the season. Bailey Berry connected on each of her first three 3-point attempts to help Milligan jump out to a 14-0 lead before St. Andrews got its first two points of the game from the free throw line four minutes in. Hannah Wyrick and Malarie Tallent then connected on a pair of 3-pointers as the Buffs finished the opening period with the last 12 points.
St. Andrews answered by winning the second and third quarters to trim the lead to four heading into the final quarter, then made it an even closer game after a bucket made it a one-point Milligan advantage with five minutes left. However, another 3-pointer, this one from Cali Weddle, gave Milligan breathing room once again.
The Buffs closed the game on a 15-3 run to earn their fourth Appalachian Athletic Conference victory of the season.
By the numbers
Padgett's double-double was her third of the season, all of which have come in the last five games. She was a hair shy of her career high in scoring (20). Berry also made it to double figures with 11 points on a 3-for-6 effort from three. Wyrick scored nine points and tallied four assists and two steals.
For St. Andrews, Samantha Ring led the way with 19 points on 7-for-22 shooting. She went 5-for-12 from the perimeter.
Up next
Milligan continues its two-game road swing with a trip to Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, Saturday at 2 p.m. The Buffs will be back home next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for games against Allen, Truett McConnell and Warren Wilson.