Milligan College, Tenn. (Jan. 27, 2010) --- The Milligan College women's basketball team broke their seven game win streak over the UVA-Wise Lady Cavaliers Wednesday night in Steve Lacy Fieldhouse as they fell by a final of 85-81.

The Lady Buffs jumped out to an early 10-4 lead but a less than usual shooting performance from behind the arc would eventually come to cost the home team. At the break, the top ranked Lady Buffs trailed the second ranked Lady Cavs, 48-46.  

UVA-Wise started the second half on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to nine. The Lady Buffs would answer as they went on their own run (11-2) to tie the ball game at 57 apiece with 14:16 left in the second half.  

From that point on, the game saw five ties and four lead changes until the closing seconds of the contest. With 13.6 seconds remaining in the game, Milligan inbounded the ball and found Heather Mandela (Fairfax, Va.) at midcourt. Mandela passed to Jaimee Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.) who cut through traffic and spotted up for what would have been the game winning bucket. Hill's attempt rattled around and fell in the hands of Wise's Kristin Mullins who polished of the Lady Buffs nailing both foul shot attempts.  

“We put ourselves in a situation where it was going to come down to one play here or there,” said Head Coach Rich Aubrey. “They (UVA-Wise) were the ones who made the play and that's why they pulled out the victory.” 

Leading the way offensively for the Lady Buffs was Alisha Mainer (Flag Pond, Tenn.) with 17 points and seven rebounds. Also providing offense was Mandela and Hill who pitched in 16 points apiece. Mandela grabbed her fifth consecutive double-double, 14th on the season, with 16 rebounds on the night. Samantha Blevins (Spruce Pine, N.C.) chipped in with 13 points.  

The Lady Cavaliers were led by Mullins with 18 points and 12 rebounds, all on the defensive end. Ayla Young chipped in with 16 points, while Brittany Maxwell helped out with 14 points. Amber Carter added 10 points.  

With the loss, the Lady Buffs drop to 14-9 overall and 7-3 in conference play. The UVA-Wise Lady Cavaliers improve to 12-7 overall and 7-2 in the AAC. With the loss, the Lady Buffs drop out a half game out of first place in the conference. 

Milligan's women head to Barbourville, Ky., to take on the Union College Lady Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.