(RV) Buffs Women's Basketball Coasts to AAC Semifinals with Demolition of Columbia

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – After receiving the top seed in the AAC Tournament, the (RV) Milligan women's basketball team started the event off strong, defeating the Columbia College Koalas decisively by a score of 86-59 in the Quarterfinal round at MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport.

Both teams were feeling each other out early in the contest, as the Lady Buffs held a three-point lead for the majority of the first quarter. However, a Milligan run at the end of the quarter had the Lady Buffs holding a 20-12 lead heading into the second set of 10 minutes.

Milligan would only see this lead grow, as an offensive explosion gave the Lady Buffs a 31-point advantage heading into halftime. Milligan shot 48.9% from the floor in the first half, compared to only 30% for Columbia. While the Lady Buffs started ice cold from beyond the arc (0-8 in Q1), they ended up shooting 31.6% for the half behind a 6-11 clip in the second quarter. Jaycie Jenkins and Lauren Longmire led the way for the Lady Buffs offensively in the first half with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Kenzie Campbell provided a spark for Milligan off the bench with nine second quarter points. Jenkins also chipped in seven rebounds in the half (4 offensive), and the Lady Buffs got active in the passing lanes in the second quarter with six steals as a team.

In the third quarter, Milligan improved their lead to as much as 35 points. However, the Koalas actually won the quarter, with Milligan holding a 28-point lead heading into the final frame (68-40). While Columbia also won the fourth quarter, the Buffaloes never let the Koalas back into the game after their offensive clinic in the second quarter, winning by a final score of 86-59. Both teams struggled from the field in the half (Milligan- 25.6%; Columbia- 30.3%) and from three-point range (Milligan- 23.5%; Columbia- 22.2%). Semaj Clark led the scoring for the Lady Buffs with nine in the half, and Jenkins added another seven rebounds to her total.

It was a balanced scoring attack for Milligan, with five Lady Buffs in double figures on the night. Jenkins led the way with 20, followed by Longmire with 16, Clark with 13, and both Campbell and McKenna Myers had 10. Jenkins also led the way on the boards with 14 rebounds, followed by Clark with 10, giving them both double-doubles in the contest. Jenkins and Clark also led the team in steals on the day with five and four, respectively. Clark led the team in assists with five.

Milligan is now set to face the fourth-seeded University of Pikeville Bears in the AAC Tournament Semifinal round tomorrow, February 28 at 2 p.m. for a chance to advance to the Championship round. Each round of the AAC Tournament is being played at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport.