Milligan College, Tenn. (Nov. 30, 2011) --- The Milligan College women's basketball team started AAC play with a 88-83 victory over Virginia Intermont on Wednesday night inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
                               
   The Lady Cobras jumped out early as they took a 7-3 lead four minutes in. VI used that advantage to spark a 6-3 run, but the Buffaloes slowly started cutting away at the lead. Johneshia Good (Johnson City, Tenn.) hit two 3-pointers to help Milligan cut the gap to 21-18 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
 
   A pair of free throws from Good tied the game at 9:35, but VI responded with three straight points. Kayla Kelly (Chattanooga, Tenn.) cut the gap to one point with a steal and layup, and then tied the game with 5:15 remaining with a basket and free throw. On the ensuing possession, Dorian Freeman (Augusta, Ga.) gave the Buffaloes their first lead of the night with her basket.
 
   Good added another 3-pointer and Alisha Mainer (Flag Pond, Tenn.) added a pair of free throws to help Milligan take a 40-34 lead, but the Lady Cobras used a 6-0 run in the closing minutes to give Milligan a 41-40 lead at the break.
 
   Good and Kelly led the Buffaloes in the first half with 14 and 11 points, respectively. As a team, Milligan was 11-of-29 (38%) from the floor and 4-of-6 (67%) from the 3-point line. VI was 18-of-32 (56%) from the field and 1-of-2 (50%) from behind the arc.
 
   In the second half, the teams traded shots as VI took a slim 55-53 lead four minutes into the period. Kelly put the Buffaloes up 56-55 with her second 3-pointer of the half with just over 12 minutes remaining in the game. After the teams traded shots, Ashlee Price (Rogersville, Tenn.) drained a 3-pointer gave Milligan a 65-60 lead at the 10 minute mark.
 
   The Price 3-point helped Milligan use an 11-2 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 70-62. After the Lady Cobras hit a pair of shots, Megan Casteel (Greeneville, Tenn.) knocked down a 3-pointer and Price hit two free throws to extend the Milligan lead back to 11 points with five minutes remaining.
 
   The Lady Cobras outscored the Buffaloes 7-1 in the next four minutes to cut the lead to 84-81 lead with 30 seconds remaining. However, freshman Chelsey Weddle (Hampton, Tenn.) and Good both knocked down a pair of free throws to secure the Milligan victory.
 
   Good had 24 points in the game, and Kelly added 19 points for the Buffaloes. Price scored 12 points. Mainer and Freeman scored 11 points apiece. On the boards, Mainer and Price both had six rebounds to lead the Buffaloes.
 
   Kayla Orrick led the Lady Cobras with 33 points.
 
   As a team, Milligan was 25-of-57 (44%) from the floor and 10-of-12 (83%) from the 3-point line. VI was 34-of-60 (57%) from the field and 1-of-4 (25%) from behind the arc.
 
   With the win, Milligan improves to 5-4 overall with a 1-0 AAC record, while VI falls to 4-4 overall and 0-1 in the AAC.
 
   The Buffaloes return to action on Saturday, Dec. 3, when they travel to No. 22 Montreat College. Game time in Montreat, N.C., is set for 5:30 p.m.