Women’s Basketball rallies past Tennessee Wesleyan 79-75 in battle of AAC unbeatens

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (November 17, 2021) – Kayla Romines connected on thee fourth quarter three-pointers, the last of which put Milligan up for good in the final minute of the Buffs' 79-75 triumph over Tennessee Wesleyan on Wednesday evening in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.

Entering the contest both teams were unbeaten in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Milligan posted its fifth-straight win to move to 5-3 on the year and 5-0 in AAC play. TWU falls to 4-2 (3-1 AAC).

The visiting Bulldogs entered the fourth quarter with a 60-50 advantage. Romines began the frame with there-point makes on each of the Biffs' first two possessions. Despite the early flurry, Tennessee Wesleyan continued to hold a substantial lead at the midway point of the quarter (71-62).

TWU pushed its advantage to 11 points (73-62) with four minutes left in regulation, but the Buffs closed the game on a 17-2 run.

Erin Larkin knocked down a three, Jaycie Jenkins converted a layup and Lauren Longmire added a basket just before the two-minute mark to cut the TWU advantage to 73-69.

An offensive rebound by Halie Padgett extended a Milligan possession that ended in a Jacie Jenkins close-range make with 1:32 to get the Buffs back within two (73-71).

After two TWU free throws, Longmire made a layup and was fouled with 1:01 remaining and a chance to trim the deficit to a single point. She missed the free throw, but Jenkins snared the offensive rebound and found Romines, who drilled her third three of the quarter to give Milligan a 76-75 lead with 57 seconds left.

After a one-and-done trip by TWU, Jenkins provided the dagger with her fourth three of the night with 13 seconds remaining to put the Buffs up two possessions (79-75). TWU did not score in the final seconds and Milligan earned its most impressive win of the 2021-22 season thus far.

The battle of unbeaten AAC squads started evenly with neither team by more than a basket through the first six minutes of the contest. Longmire made a pair of free throws with 3:50 to go in the first to give the Buffs an 8-7 lead.

Jenkins drilled a deep three off the dribble and then nailed another one on the next trip down the floor in the right corner to give the Buffs a 14-9 advantage with 2:24 to go in the period. In the final seconds of the quarter, Longmire found Taylor Carter in the right corner and she drained a three-pointer to give the Buffs a 21-15 advantage at the end of the quarter.

Padgett converted three baskets early in the second quarter to push the Buffs' lead to nine (27-19) three minutes into the second quarter. TWU responded with an 11-2 run to take a 30-29 lead with minutes left in the first half.

Stacia Wilson knocked down a three to re-take the lead at 32-30 with 3:53 to play in the first half. TWU responded with five-straight points before Erin Larkin connected on a three of her own to tie the game at 35 with under 90 seconds to play in the quarter. The very next trip down the floor, the Bulldogs drained a three of their own and tacked on three free throws in the final minute to take a 41-35 lead into the halftime break. TWU outscored Milligan 19-15 in the third to carry a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Jenkins led the way for Milligan with 24 points and six rebounds. Padgett had 14 points and six boards. Longmire finished with 12 points, five rebounds and six assists. Romines scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter on three three-point makes.

Milligan outrebounded TWU 45-32 and matched a season high with 11 three-point makes at 44.0 percent.

Milligan women's basketball returns to action Saturday at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse against Truett McConnell at 2:00 p.m.