Semaj Clark delivers Women’s Basketball past No. 16 Providence

HELENA, Mont. (December 30, 2023) – Semaj Clark drained a jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining to deliver the Milligan University women's basketball team to a 64-62 victory over No. 16 Providence in Montana on Saturday afternoon.

The victory marked the Buffs' first triumph over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 13 Bryan in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament in 2020. Milligan rises to 10-3 on the season while Providence falls to 9-4.

The Buffs led by as many as 13 (60-47) in the fourth quarter but the Argos rallied back to tie the game at 62 in the final minute. Providence turned the ball over via a travelling violation with 4.8 seconds left in regulation and coach Kylie Russell Greer used a timeout to advance the basketball to the left hash. Clark inbounded the ball to Lauren Longmire, who flipped it back to Clark for the game-winning 12-footer.

Providence led 16-12 after the first quarter but the Buffs battled back to take a 28-27 lead into the halftime break.

Milligan scored the first nine points of the second half with Jaycie Jenkins capping the run with a three-pointer and layup to put the Buffs ahead 36-27 two-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter. The Argos worked back within three before a 7-0 Milligan spurt grew the Buffs' lead to double-digits (50-39) going into the final minute of the quarter. Milligan led 52-43 heading into the fourth.

Jenkins and Lauren Longmire drained threes in the first four minutes of the fourth as the Buffs' lead swelled to 13 (60-47) with 6:38 to play. The Argos went on a 15-2 run to tie the game at 62 with 51 seconds left to prompt Clark's late-game heroics.

Jenkins led the Buffs with 19 points and four rebounds. Longmire had 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Clark finished with nine points. Madi Runnels had four points, six rebounds and three steals.

The Buffs take on No. 5 Carroll (Mont.) on Monday at 5:00 p.m.