Milligan College, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2011) --- The Milligan College women's basketball team held off a late rally from UVA-Wise to pick up their first win of the season as they took a 67-61 victory over the Lady Cavaliers on the second day of the Milligan Classic inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
 
   The Buffaloes opened the game on a 7-2 run, and freshman Chelsey Weddle (Hampton, Tenn.) drained a 3-pointer to give Milligan a 12-4 lead with 12:17 left in the first half. After both teams traded baskets, the Lady Cavaliers took advantage of a six minute Milligan scoring drought to cut the Buffaloes lead to 17-16 with six minutes remaining in the half.
 
   Kayla Kelly (Chattanooga, Tenn.) broke the drought with a jumper, and Weddle gave the Buffaloes a two possession lead with a lay-up and a free throw off a steal with just over three minutes remaining in the period. However, UVA-Wise took their first lead of the game with 2:34 on the scoreboard, and they held onto it as they led 27-24 at the break.
 
   In the first half, Milligan with 10-of-32 (31%) from the floor and 3-of-12 (25%) from behind the arc, while UVA-Wise was 11-of-30 (37%) from the field and 1-of-2 (50%) from the 3-point line.
 
   After neither team could score in the first three minutes of the second half, the Buffaloes answered a UVA-Wise basket with points from Alisha Mainer (Flag Pond, Tenn.) and Kelly to tie the game at 29 with 16:29 left. Milligan used those points to spark an 8-0 run, and the Buffaloes capitalized as they ran out to a 47-35 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
 
   Dorian Freeman (Augusta, Ga.) scored five straight points for Milligan to run their lead to 15 points, but UVA-Wise used a 14-1 run to power ahead with 1:27 left. However, Mainer put the Buffaloes back in the lead with a three point play on the next Milligan possession. Johneshia Good (Johnson City, Tenn.) hit four straight free throws in the closing seconds to secure the victory for the Buffaloes.
 
   Mainer and Freeman led Milligan with 13 points, while Kelly ended the night with 11 points. Good recorded 10 points in the victory. Mainer and Kelly led Milligan on the boards with seven rebounds apiece.
 
   As a team, Milligan was 25-of-69 (36%) from the field and 4-of-20 (20%) from the arc. UVA-Wise ended the game 26-of-63 (41%) from the floor and 3-of-6 (50%) from the 3-point line.
  
   With the win, Milligan improves to 1-3 on the season.
 
   The Buffaloes return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 16, when they travel to Banner Elk, N.C., for a nonconference clash with Lees-McRae College. Game time is set for 6 p.m.