Men’s Basketball downs Bryan 82-76 on senior day

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 18, 2023) – The Milligan University men's basketball team knocked off Bryan 82-76 on senior day at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

The Buffs closed the year with seven wins in their final 10 games to finish 12-15 overall and 12-12 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Bryan, who began the day in a five-way tie for second place in the conference standings, finishes the regular season at 14-13, 14-10 AAC.

Chase Love and Adam Graham joined the starting lineup for Milligan as the Buffs honored their seniors before the game. Graham scored the first basket of the night and Dylan Bartley hit a three-pointer as Milligan led 5-0 through the first three minutes of action.

The Lions used four made three-pointers to build a 21-11 lead with 10:26 left in the first half. The Buffs outscored Bryan 27-9 over the final 10:01 of the half as Sami Sanad, Piripi Korent, Flynn Carlson, Drew Greene, Bartley, Levontae Knox and Sam Gold all scored in the run.

Carlson had a three-point play to cut the margin to 21-15 with seven-and-a-half minutes left in the half. Sanad tied the game at 30 with two minutes to go in the period. Knox pu the Buffs ahead with a lay-in and Gold and Bartley drained treys in the final 90 seconds to give Milligan a 38-30 edge going into halftime.

The Buffs scored 11 points in the first four minutes of the second half as Milligan's lead grew to 49-39 with 16:30 left to play. The Buffs maintained a multiple-possession edge until the Loins brought the game to a 73-70 margin with 3:39 left in regulation.

Bartley made two free throws and Sanad converted a three-point play to go ahead 78-70 with 1:31 left and held on to win 82-76.

Sanad scored a career high 26 points, 18 of which came in the second half. He shot 12-of-19 from the field and had nine rebounds. Gold finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Batrley had 10 points and six rebounds.

Both teams shot 31-of-67 from the field but Milligan had a plus-eight edge from the free throw line (13-5). Both teams collected 37 rebounds. Milligan's bench outscored Bryan's 36-2.

The Buffs will play in the AAC Tournament play-in round on Wednesday at the MeadowView Marriot in Kingsport.