BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 8, 2014) â€" The Milligan College women's basketball team fought to the end on another close game but eventually fell to Midway College 59-51 on Saturday in the Union College Classic.
 
Milligan fell to 0-3 on the season but only has an average margin of defeat of 5.3 points. The Buffaloes will start Appalachian Athletic Conference play next week on Nov. 12 against Point University, who is currently even on the season at 2-2 after their loss to Belhaven University on Saturday.
 
Milligan and Midway traded points for the first four minutes of the game before a shot from in the paint and a free throw, both from Caitlyn Cain, boosted the Buffs into the lead.
 
It would be short lived though as Midway made good on two field goals and a 3-point shot within two minutes to retake the lead by six.
 
The Eagles maintained the lead for the rest of the half, extending it to as many as 13 points, but the Buffs refused to be put away easily as they went on an 11-2 run in the final seven minutes of the half to head to the locker rooms trailing only 28-24.
 
Midway built on their lead early in the second half after Jasmine Johnson sunk two free throws, but Callie Cox dropped in a three to shorten the Midway lead to one.
 
With 13 minutes left in the game, Courtney Wilson made a shot while taking a foul, and after she hit the free throw and Cox arched in another three, the Buffs were once again back in the lead 35-30.
 
Milligan held on for another seven minutes, but Midway's offense slowly chipped away at the lead until a McKinzie Laswell shot from in the paint gave the Eagles the lead for the final time.
 
The Buffs attempted to rally back, getting within four points of the Eagles with 34 seconds left in the game, but with the pressure on, Midway hit four of their five free throws while Milligan was unable to find the basket on their three shots. Midway was able to take home the win with the final score of 59-51.
 
Senior Chelsey Weddle led the Buffs with 12 points and was one of three Milligan players who finished the game with eight or more rebounds, including Hayley Wyrick (eight) and Courtney Wilson (nine). Wyrick earned 11 points, two assists and two steals, and Wilson added 10 points and three blocks.
 
The Buffs will set their sights on Point University as they begin conference play on Wednesday, Nov. 12 in West Point, Georgia. The Skyhawks will be the first of five straight AAC games for the Buffs, followed by two home games against St. Andrews University and Tennessee Wesleyan College on Nov. 15 and 19 respectively.