Buffs lose back-and-forth game at Wesleyan

ATHENS, Tenn. (Nov. 16, 2019) – After a fast start, the Milligan College women's basketball team suffered from a slow finish and lost to Tennessee Wesleyan University, 66-57, Saturday afternoon on the road.

Lily Griffith led the Buffs with 15 points, and Halie Padgett and Kaely Gose added 12 and 11, respectively.

Game flow

The game featured a 12-2 lead for Milligan within the first three minutes of play before both teams battled back and forth with several runs over the last 37. Tennessee Wesleyan answered the 12-2 deficit with a 5-0 run to finish the first quarter trailing 20-16. The Bulldogs then tied the game 25-25 midway through the second quarter before scoring five straight points to go ahead 34-26 near the end of the first half. Tennessee Wesleyan led 34-28 at the break.

The theme of runs continued into the second half as Milligan went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter to go out 42-36, but Wesleyan had the final answer with a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter followed by a 10-3 run to end it.

Milligan had its last lead with less than five minutes in the game but was outscored 22-11 in the fourth quarter and 14-4 over the final three and a half minutes.

Leaders

Griffith's 15 points were a career high and marked the fourth time this season she entered double figures. Three of those double-digit scoring efforts have come in the last three games.

Gose's 11 points came alongside seven rebounds, four assists and one block. Padgett added three rebounds and three blocks. Hannah Wyrick tallied a game high eight rebounds.

Up next

Milligan returns home to Steve Lacy Fieldhouse to face Montreat College Wednesday, Nov. 20. Opening tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m.