Milligan College, Tenn. (Jan. 9, 2012) --- The Milligan College men's basketball came up short on Monday night as Bluefield hit a basket with five seconds remaining as the Buffaloes fell 71-69 in AAC action inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
 
   After Bluefield jumped out to a 7-3 in the opening minutes, the Buffaloes got a pair of baskets from Torian Sitton (Hendersonville, N.C.) to help Milligan take a 9-7 lead four minutes in. Marshall Hardy (Kingsport, Tenn.) drained a jumper to spark a 9-0 run to help Milligan take an 18-10 lead, but the Rams closed as the gap as Milligan led 22-20 at the midpoint of the half.
 
   The Buffaloes jumped back out as Sitton hit another basket with 8:30 left in the half to give Milligan a 27-22 lead, and then Kyle Grisby (Charlotte, N.C.) drained a 3-pointer and a lay-up to give the Buffaloes a five point lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. The Rams made another comeback to pull within one, but Milligan took a 40-35 lead into the half after Grisby hit a jumper at the buzzer.
 
   Grisby tallied up 14 points in the half to lead the Buffaloes in the first half of action. Sitton and Hardy had eight points apiece in the frame. As a team, Milligan was 17-of-31 (55%) from the floor and 2-of-7 (29%) from the 3-point line. Bluefield was 14-of-31 (45%) from the field and 4-of-9 (44%) from behind the arc.
 
   The teams traded shots to begin the second half as the Rams closed the gap to one point, but Tyler DeVault (Kingsport, Tenn.) scored off an assist from Cordero Seymour (Inagua, Bahamas) to give Milligan a 44-41 lead four minutes in. After Bluefield hit a drained a basket, Grisby responded with a  3-pointer and then found Seymour in transition to move the Milligan lead to six points with just over 14 minutes to play.
 
   After Bluefield went on a run to take a 50-49 lead with 12 minutes on the clock, freshman Morgan Mcleod (Hickory, N.C.) hit a jumper and then assisted on a DeVault score to put the Buffaloes back in front. Bryant Edwards (Tabor City, N.C.) answered a Ram 3-pointer, but Bluefield tied the game at 58 with eight minutes left before taking a 61-60 lead with just over five minutes left.
 
   The Rams extended their lead to five points, but a pair of free throws from Sitton and baskets from Seymour and DeVault gave Milligan a 66-65 lead with 3:13 left as part of a 6-0 run. DeVault increased the lead with a pair of free throws with 2:37 left in the game, and then added another to give the Buffaloes a 69-65 lead entering the game's final minute.
 
   During the final minute of the game, Bluefield went 3-for-4 from the line, and then saw AAC Player of the week Kearsten Marion drain a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 71-69 lead with five seconds left. However, the Buffaloes were unable to convert a last second possession to force extra time.
    
   The Buffaloes were led by Grisby's 21 points, and DeVault added 15 points. Sitton ended the game with 10 points.
 
   As a team, the Buffaloes were 26-of-51 (51%) from the floor and 4-of-11 (36%) from the arc. Bluefield ended the night 24-of-57 (42%) from the field and 9-of-19 (47%) from behind the 3-point line.
 
   With the loss, Milligan falls to 4-9 overall and 2-2 in AAC action. Bluefield improves to 11-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play.
 
   The Buffaloes return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 11, when they host AAC rival Union College in a rematch of last season's AAC semifinal that ended the Buffaloes season. Game time inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse is slated for 7:30 p.m.