Women’s Basketball suffers first AAC defeat to Bryan

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (December 9, 2023) – The Milligan University women's basketball team dropped a competitive Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup 81-72 to Bryan in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

Milligan falls to 9-2 on the season and 7-1 in league play. Bryan rises to 8-4, 8-1 AAC.r

A back-and-forth first half saw both teams shoot under 40 percent from the field, four ties and four lead changes.

Bryan took a 21-16 lead midway through the second quarter when Milligan responded with an 11-0 run. Semaj Clark and Lina Lyon scored every point of the spurt to give the Buffs a 27-21 edge with 2:18 left in the half. The Lions erased the deficit with a 10-0 response of their own to re-take the lead. Both teams made a free throw in the final minute as Bryan took a 32-28 lead into the half.

The Lions stretched their lead to a dozen points (47-35) with under five minutes to play in the third quarter. Lauren Longmire and Clark combined for Milligan's next 13 points to close the quarter with a Longmire jumper trimming the deficit to 53-48 heading into the fourth.

Jaycie Jenkins opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and a Halie Padgett three-point play made it a one-point ballgame (57-56) with 7:31 remaining. Bryan scored the next three baskets to lead 64-56. The Buffs came back within four (68-64) after a Clark three, but the Lions scored the next five points to pull away and take the 81-72 victory.

Clark paced the Buffs with 21 points. Jenkins had 20 points and five rebounds. Longmire added 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Padgett posted seven points and seven rebounds.

Bryan shot 45.9 percent from the field and made eight threes at 40 percent. The Buffs were 40.3 percent from the field and made five threes at 26.3 percent. Both teams made 17 free throws. Bryan held a slight edge in the rebounding (39-37) and turnover (13-11) margins.

The Buffs travel to Alice Lloyd on Thursday.