MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Jan. 15, 2014) â€" Cartree Pettis and Mickey Woods had steals on Milligan's last two defensive stands, and the Buffalo men's basketball team grinded out a 77-76 victory over visiting Montreat Wednesday night at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.
 
Milligan won its second straight and improved to 10-7 (4-5 AAC). Montreat fell to 11-8 (5-4 AAC).
 
Defense was indeed the story as Milligan forced 27 turnovers and held the nation's best-shooting team to 40.0% (8-20) from the floor in the second half. Pettis led Milligan's defensive effort with a career-high seven steals. He also was a major factor on the offensive end, handing out five assists and scoring a team-high 16 points.
 
Milligan led 52-43 at the halftime break and looked poised to put the game out of reach until Montreat, which ranks No. 1 in NAIA Div II field goal percentage (54.0%), took the lead with a 13-0 run over a span of five and a half minutes.
 
Montreat's La'Bris Adams made a pair of free throws at the 11:45 mark to give the Cavaliers their first lead since early in the first half, and Lamar Seymore made two more to cap the 13-0 run at the 10:45 mark.
 
Over the next eight and a half minutes, Milligan and Montreat traded baskets and leads until James Songster scored the eventual game-winner with 2:14 left. After Montreat took a 76-75 lead with a three-pointer from Adams, Songster answered with a tough layup in traffic on Milligan's next possession. Over the final 2:14, both teams remained scoreless.
 
Songster finished with 12 points and two steals. Torian Sitton had 12 points, six rebounds, and two steals.
 
Milligan will be on the road Saturday for a 5 p.m. matchup against Point University (4-15, 3-6 AAC). The Buffs will return home Wednesday, Jan. 22 for a meeting with St. Andrews.