Women’s Basketball defeated by (RV) Bryan in regular season finale

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 18, 2023) – The Milligan University women's basketball team was within a point of Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season champion Bryan in the waning moments of regulation but the visitors outscored the Buffs 14-0 over the final 4:09 to hand Milligan a 72-57 defeat on Saturday afternoon at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.

The Buffs conclude the regular season with a 19-9 record and finish third in the AAC with a 17-8 conference mark. Bryan heads into the AAC tournament with a 25-3 record after going 23-1 in AAC play.

Bryan led 53-47 heading into the fourth quarter and Madi Runnels scored the first three points of the frame to bring the margin to 53-50 with nine minutes left in regulation. The Lions stretched their lead back to 58-52 with just under six minutes to play.

Laruen Longmire sank a free throw, Semaj Clark found Stacia Wilson for a layup and Jaycie Jenkins made two free throws as Milligan trimmed Bryan's lead to 58-57 with 4:24 left. The Lions outscored Milligan 14-0 the rest of the game. Bryan's Destiny Kassner made a pair of difficult baskets after the Buffs cut the lead to one as she scored 10 of Bryan's 19 points in the fourth quarter.

The high-profile matchup started slowly as both teams managed just one field goal over the game's first four minutes of action. Bryan led 13-11 with two minutes to go in the half before the Buffs responded with baskets by Kristy Galea and Clark and Jenkins drilled a three in the final seconds of the quarter to give the Buffs an 18-13 edge after 10 minutes of play.

Jenkins scored on back-to-back possessions to open the second quarter as Milligan led 22-15 with nine minutes left in the half. The Lions tied the game at 22 before a Clark three gave the Buffs a 25-22 edge with 6:46 left in the second quarter.

Bryan went on a 10-0 run over the next five minutes to build a 32-25 advantage with two minutes left in the half. Longmire drained threes on back-to-back possessions to trim the margin to 32-31 in the final minute of the second quarter. Bryan closed the quarter with a three of its own to carry a 35-31 edge into halftime.

A back-and-forth third quarter saw Bryan lead by 11 (51-42) before Milligan closed the margin to six points (53-47) by the end of the period.

Longmire led the Buffs with 16 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Clark had a dozen points, five rebounds and three assists. Jenkins added 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Bryan shot 45.8 percent from the field and made nine threes at 40.9 percent while Milligan shot 37.5 percent from the field and sank eight treys at 32 percent. Bryan owned slim advantages in the rebounding (38-35) and turnover (13-11) margins. The Buffs' bench outscored Bryan 18-6.

Milligan play in the AAC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport. The Buffs' will take on sixth-seeded Montreat at a time to be determined.