Milligan Men’s Basketball Crushes Struggling Bluefield Squad on Lentz’s Career Night

MILLIGAN, Tenn. — On Wednesday night, the Milligan University men's basketball team asserted their dominance against a struggling Bluefield University Rams squad, as they concocted a 31-point, 88-57 drubbing on Smith-Harris Court inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.

The Buffaloes' first half was the more impressive one, as they connected on 23-of-41 (56.1%) from the floor in the first 20 minutes. During that time, Milligan scored 53 points and allowed just 31 to the Rams. The only time that the game was tied was at 0-0, and MU led from the 19:50 mark in the first half on and led 53-31 at the intermission.

Half number two was not as prolific for the offense, as a 14-of-35 (40%) clip amounted to 35 second-half tallies for the Buffs. Bluefield only hit in 32.3% of their shots, so the slower latter 20 minutes did not hurt the Buffaloes. They ended up achieving an 88-57 triumph on their home floor.

A pair of Buffaloes scored 20 points in the win, as McCaskill Rivers (10-of-15 FG) and Luke Lentz (7-of-17 FG, 6-of-15 3PT) led the way. For Lentz, it was a new career-high points total in a single game. Sam Gold also scored 17 points for Milligan, notching a 7-of-13 shooting clip and a 3-of-6 conversion rate from distance. 

Finn McClure had a team-best six assists in the battle, while Rivers added five of his own. Flynn Carlson and Caron Buckles both had two, and Lentz, Elijah Bredwood and Lincoln Thomae all provided one.

Gold reached double-double status with his 11 rebounds atop the Milligan roster. Handje Tamba had eight rebounds, and Thomae was the only other Buff with five or more. He had five in the bout. McClure and Rivers hauled in four, and Bredwood snatched three. Carlson, Bennett Bowers and Piripi Korent pulled in a pair apiece, as Lentz was the final man to snag a board.

The team had a total of nine steals and four blocks in the victory, with Tamba rejecting two shots and snatching a theft. Lentz, McClure and Bredwood all had two steals, while Gold boasted one of each. Carlson had a single block in the game, and Rivers stole the Orange on one occasion.

With the triumph over Bluefield in the books, the Buffaloes look forward to a trip down to Cleveland, Ga., where they will face the Bears of Truett McConnell University on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m., looking to keep pace with the top teams in the conference with only two regular season battles remaining.