Women’s Basketball closes fall semester with defeat at Webber International

BABSON PARK, Fla (December 14, 2021) – The Milligan University women's basketball team dropped a nonconference matchup at Webber International, 73-53, to close its fall semester schedule in Florida on Tuesday afternoon.

Milligan moves to 8-5 on the season while Webber advances to 7-2 on the year.

Webber used an early 11-0 run to establish a 13-3 lead with 4:43 to play in the first quarter. The Buffs trailed 18-9 at the end of the first quarter. Lauren Longmire and Shayla Stewart connected on threes and Kristy Galea made three free throws as Milligan went without a two-point field goal in the opening period.

Threes by Lily Griffith and Madi Runnels trimmed Webber's double digit lead to five (21-16) with 5:50 to play in the first half. A putback by Stewart and left-handed layup by Longmire trimmed the deficit to 24-20 with 2:13 left, but the Warriors responded with a basket on the other end and closed the quarter with a three in the final seconds to give Webber a 29-20 halftime advantage.

Webber opened the third quarter with nine-straight points and matched its first half point total with a 29-point period that put the hosts ahead 58-37 through three quarters. Kayla Romines connected on a pair of three pointers to open and close Milligan's scoring in the quarter.

The Buffs reeled off seven-straight points in the fourth quarter with Romines downing another triple and Stacia Wilson and Halie Padgett recording buckets inside. Stewart and Longmire connected on threes during an 8-2 spurt that prompted a Webber timeout with 3:16 to play, leading 66-52. The Warriors closed out the game with seven of the last eight points to earn a 73-53 win.

Longmire led the Buffs with 10 points, three assists and three rebounds. Romines had nine points, all coming from three-point makes. Stewart notched a season high eight points off the bench.

Padgett recorded seven points, eight blocks, two steals and two blocks. Runnels had five points and eight rebounds.

The Buffs knocked down 10 threes for the fifth time this season as Milligan went 10-of-28 (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc. Webber scored 29 points off 21 Milligan turnovers and outscored the Buffs 40-14 in the paint.

Women's basketball returns to action on Jan. 2 at Emory & Henry.