Milligan University

Milligan College, Tenn. (Nov. 11 2011) --- The Milligan College women's basketball team was unable to hold off a late rally as they fell 82-75 to St. Thomas University on Friday night in the opening day of the Milligan Classic inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
 
   The Buffaloes opened the game on a roll as they ran out to a 9-4 lead in the opening minutes. However, the Bobcats clawed their way back into the game as they took their first lead at 18-16 with 10:53 remaining. Megan Casteel (Greeneville, Tenn.) drained a 3-pointer to regain the lead for Milligan as that sparked a 9-3 run for the Buffaloes.
 
   St. Thomas battled back as they tied the game at 27 with 4:43 remaining in the half. Johneshia Good (Elizabethton, Tenn.) hit a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 Milligan run, but St. Thomas ended the half on a run of their own to take a 40-38 lead into half time.
 
   The Bobcats continued to hold the momentum in the second half as they opened the frame on a 12-4 run. However, Milligan scored the next nine points capped by a Casteel 3-pointer to pull within one point. The teams traded buckets as the team were tied at 62 with 7:24 left.
 
  Neither team could get an advantage in the late going as the Buffaloes tied the game with 3:31 left with a Jamiee Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.) lay in. However, the Buffaloes were unable to hold off a late Bobcats charge as St. Thomas took the victory.
 
   Hill led Milligan with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Kayla Kelly (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had 16 points and nine rebounds. Good ended the game with 13 points. Alisha Mainer (Flag Pond, Tenn.) and Casteel had nine points apiece.
 
   As a team, Milligan was 27-of-55 (49%) from the field and 6-of-17 (35%) from the 3-point line. St. Thomas ended the game 27-of-59 (49%) and 11-of-19 (58%) from behind the arc.
 
   With the loss, Milligan falls to 0-3 on the season.
 
   The Buffaloes return to action on the second day of the Milligan Classic as they will square off against UVA-Wise. Game time is set for 3 p.m.