Men’s Basketball edged in AAC quarterfinals by Johnson

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (February 29, 2024) – The Milligan University men's basketball team rallied back from a 14-point second half deficit but fell 73-70 to Johnson in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday morning.

Milligan concludes its season with a 14-13 record. Johnson moves on to the conference semifinals at 16-12.

The first half featured eight ties and eight lead changes. Milligan led by seven (17-10) early but the Royals roared back to take a 23-21 lead with under nine minutes left in the half. Johnson took a 28-25 lead in the final five minutes of the period but the Buffs got a lift from their bench. Jay Richmond converted a three-point play and Jaz Johnson scored to re-take the lead. A Richmond free throw in the final minute of the half sent the teams to the locker room tied at 33.

Johnson used a 16-2 run to build a 51-37 lead in the first seven minutes of the second half. Jay Hickman drained a pair of trey and Follie Bogan converted a three-point play to kickstart 17-1 response that gave the Buffs a 54-52 edge just past the midway point of the second half.

McCaskill Rivers began a 9-0 spurt with a three-pointer that handed the Buffs a 63-56 lead with eight minutes to go. A Rivers layup had the Buffs up 68-62 with four minutes to play. The Royals scored the next nine points to take a 71-68 lead in the final minute.

Bogan scored to cut the deficit to one (71-70). The Buffs got a defensive stop to set up a game-tying opportunity in the final 15 seconds but Bogan slipped on his way to the basket and lost possession of the ball. After two foul shots by Johnson, Milligan's last second full-court pass was broken up and the Royals held on for the three-point win.

Bogan finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Rivers had 11 points and four rebounds. Hickman added 11 points. Lincoln Thomae recorded 10 points and seven rebounds.

The Buffs outrebounded Johnson 43-34, leading to a 20-11 edge in second chance points.