Women’s Basketball storms past Point to reach AAC Championship game

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 25, 2022) – The Milligan University women's basketball outscored Point 28-14 in the fourth quarter and punched their ticket to the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) championship game with a 71-54 victory at the MeadowView Convention Center on Friday night.

Milligan advances to 25-7 and Point falls to 24-7.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Milligan clung to a three-point advantage. Kayla Romines quickly extended the Buffs' advantage with a three with 8:32 to go. Jaycie Jenkins buried back-to-back triples to push Milligan to its first double-digit advantage of the night (52-42) with six minutes left. Despite battling foul trouble all night Halie Padgett returned to action with four fouls and proceeded to score 12 points in the final four minutes of regulation. Jenkins made her third three of the quarter as the Buffs' ran away with the 71-54 victory.

The semifinal began defensively with the only basket in the first four minutes of action coming on a steal and fastbreak for Point. Jenkins canned a jumper with 5:46 left in the half for Milligan's first field goal to tie the game at four.

Milligan's first lead came on a Kaylee Hendrickson triple that gave the Buffs a 9-8 edge with 2:49 to play in the period. After a Padgett tip-in right after the two-minute mark, Point scored the final five points of the quarter to lead 15-11 through 10 minutes of action.

After a three by Lauren Longmire to open the second quarter, the Skyhawks reeled off the next six points to lead 21-14 with seven minutes left in the half. Milligan responded with an 8-2 spurt with three points from Jenkins and a timely three-pointer by Hendrickson to make it a one-point game (23-22) with just over two minutes left in the half. A Lily Griffith three from the right wing tied the game at 25 and the teams went into the halftime break tied at 27.

The Buffs opened the second half with a Jenkins layup and Griffith three to quickly establish a five-point lead (32-27) with 8:46 to play in the third. Point quickly responded with back-to-back threes to take a 34-32 lead with six minutes to go in the quarter. The teams exchanged leads until Longmire tied the game at 37 with three minutes remaining in the third. Hendrickson drilled a deep three to go ahead 40-37 with 2:38 to play in the quarter and Jenkins added on three free throws to lead 43-37. Point made a contested three in the final minute to finish the scoring for the quarter. Milligan carried a 43-40 edge into the final quarter.

Jenkins and Padgett combined for 25 of the Buffs' 28 points in the fourth quarter. The duo combined for 40 points. Jenkins had 24 points on seven-of-12 shooting and was seven-of-10 from the foul line. Padgett poured in 16 points and seven rebounds. Hendrickson was Milligan's third-leading scorer with nine points, all from threes.

Milligan shot 48.9 percent from the field to 27.9 percent by Point. The Buffs made 10-of-25 threes (40 percent) while Point was five-of-23 from deep. The Buffs won the rebounding battle 44-32.

Milligan will square off with fifth-seeded Reinhardt for the AAC Tournament title tomorrow at MeadowView at 3:00 p.m.