Jenkins scores 34 in Buffs’ AAC tourney loss

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 20, 2021) – Jaycie Jenkins stamped her freshman season with a 34-point, 17-rebound effort, but the Milligan University women's basketball team suffered a 93-78 loss to CIU in the opening round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament Saturday afternoon on the road.

"This season has been the most challenging season most of us have ever experienced," said first-year head coach Kylie Russell. "Today did not end the way we wanted, but we executed our game plan well. CIU happened to shoot 12% better than their average from three, and we had at least six great shots rim out as we were trying to take the lead. Though the shots did not fall our way, I am so proud of this team. Jaycie played her best game this season, and it was very clear she did not want to lose."

Jenkins scored 17 in each half to come away with a career high in scoring, besting her old mark of 22 which he had done four times this season. She became only the 20th Milligan player in the last 30 seasons to score 34 points or more in one game. The last person to do it was Allison Jones in 2016.

Jenkins finished her first collegiate season with 421 points and 212 rebounds.

Following Jenkins were two other Buffaloes in double figures. Lily Griffith scored 15 while Hannah Wyrick scored 11.

Battling back in the second half

Milligan and CIU stayed close for the first 15 minutes until an 18-7 Rams run made it an 11-point game at the half. It would mark the last time either team would take the lead, although Milligan trimmed the deficit to three with under three minutes to go in the third quarter when Griffith capped a 10-3 run with a basket near the 2:45 mark.

Milligan went into the fourth quarter trailing by six and played an even game for the first four possessions, but CIU finally put the game away with a 7-0 run over a span of one minute and 10 seconds.

More tallies

Jenkins' 17 rebounds were one shy of her career high and included nine on the defensive end and 13 in the second half. For the game, she went 9-for-17 from the field with 16-of-17 made free throws.

Griffith also had a big second half, scoring all 15 points after the break. Wyrick scored all 11 of her points in the first half.

Season wrap

With the loss, Milligan ended the season with a record of 8-16 (8-11 AAC).

"These seniors were my first group of freshmen when I came in as an assistant," Russell added, "and they will be my first graduating class as a head coach. Basketball aside, they are some of the best young women around, and I cannot wait to see the impact they make on their communities."