Buffs storm back for AAC win

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Jan. 23, 2021) – Freshman Jaycie Jenkins tallied her Appalachian Athletic Conference-leading ninth double-double of the season with 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, and the Milligan University women's basketball team erased an 18-point halftime deficit to overcome Tennessee Wesleyan 66-61 on senior day Saturday afternoon at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.

Milligan (6-11, 6-8 AAC) used a 13-3 run to open the second half and a 9-2 run to open the fourth quarter before finishing the last five and a half minutes on a 17-9 run.

"We had the shortest halftime ever," Head Coach Kylie Russell said regarding Milligan's 18 first-half points coming on 7-for-37 shooting. "There's no offense you can run to recover our shooting percentage. I just told them to go up and get shots and be ready to make them in the second half.

"We then just locked in one possession at a time in the second half. Once again, everyone who went in the game made an impact. I'm very proud of this team's ability to shake off bad quarters and keep playing."

Strong second half powered by big runs

Milligan trailed by 18 at the intermission but quickly brought the game back down to single digits after a few big 3-point makes. Jenkins and Kaylee Hendrickson both made triples during that stretch to bring Tennessee Wesleyan's lead down to eight.

Milligan trailed by that same margin to start the fourth quarter, but again the Buffaloes quickly brought it closer during its 9-2 run to open the final period. Hendrickson again had a big 3-point make during the stretch, but it was Erin Larkin's 3-pointer that gave the Buffaloes their first lead since the 6:30 mark of the first quarter.

After Larkin's made three, which came with 4:46 left, Milligan never again trailed and only once did Wesleyan manage to tie.

That tie came on the ensuing possession, but Milligan answered with the next four points then closed the game with enough made free throws.

By the numbers

Jenkins' 13 points included 11 in the second half and a 4-for-12 effort from the field. Her 18 rebounds featured 11 in the second half and 11 on the defensive end, and it topped her previous high of 16 which she recorded last December.

Three Buffs followed with double digits for scoring, all with 10. Lily Griffith (10 points) scored her 500th career point on a jumper from the top of the key during Milligan's fourth-quarter surge. Bailey Berry made two threes and finished with 10, and Larkin went 4-for-6 from the field to finish with 10 as well.

Hendrickson followed next with a career-high eight points on two 3-point makes and two free-throw makes.

Chloe Yearwood's 16 points led Tennessee Wesleyan (6-4, 6-4 AAC), which entered the game having won four of its last five. Two other Bulldogs tallied double figures, with Hannah Cherry scoring 15 and Cambree Mayo scoring 14.

Up next

Milligan squares off against St. Andrews in another home game next Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 5 p.m. Home games this season can be followed online at milliganbuffs.com. The Buffs are entering the home stretch of the season, with only eight games left on the regular-season calendar.

Highlights