CINCINNATI, Ohio. (Oct. 29, 2015) â€" Hayley Wyrick scored her 1,000th career point to help propel the Milligan College women's basketball team to a 78-65 season-opening victory Tuesday evening on Jill Rendel Court over Cincinnati Christian University of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Wyrick entered this season with 984 points and registered career number 1,000 with a putback in the fourth quarter that made it 71-62 as part of Milligan's strong final period. Wyrick led all scorers with 18 points while Allison Jones scored 10.
 
With the win, Milligan, who went 14-18 and 10-10 last season and made a trip to the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament title game last year, began the 2015-16 season 1-0. Cincinnati Christian began 0-1 after going 15-16 in 2014-15.
 
This was Milligan's first opportunity playing under many new college basketball rules instituted this season, one of which is playing four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves.
 
The new intended pace of play, however, did not faze the Buffs, who jumped out early with leads at 6-1, 11-4, 16-7 and 23-13, which was the score at the end of the first quarter and equaled their largest lead of the half.
 
Milligan was able to take control early in the game thanks to being aggressive and playing with hustle and high energy, forcing a number of tipped balls on the Lady Eagles side of the court, hurried CCU possessions, and turnovers, including one on the very first possession of the game.
 
In the second quarter, the defensive theme continued as the Buffs came up with more Lady Eagles turnovers, including one on a three-second call.
 
With Milligan leading 29-19 in the second, CCU used a run to creep back into it and get within five at 33-28 before a 3-pointer and a steal and a layup from Milligan got it back to 10 at 28-18. The Lady Eagles then closed the half on a 6-1 run to make it a five-point margin, 39-34, going into the break.
 
The Buffs looked sharp offensively in the first half, putting on a great passing display that featured many good interior feeds and great looks in the paint. The Buffs ability to convert from the paint would become a major factor late in the second half.
 
After never leading in the first half, the Lady Eagles began the second with an 8-0 run to take the lead at 42-39. The Buffs quickly retook the lead with a layup off an inbounds play and a hustling rebound from Sarah Robinson, which led to two free throws from Wyrick, to make it 43-42.
 
The rest of the third quarter featured a lot of back-and-forth action as a three from CCU made it 45-43, a corner jumper from Robinson with the assist to Lindsee Price made it 45-45, and another three from the Lady Eagles followed by a bucket from Jones made it 48-47.
 
A score from CCU followed by a 3-pointer by Callie Cox at the end of the Milligan shot clock tied it back up at 50, which set up an exciting end to the quarter where the Lady Eagles went up 53-50 on a three-point play before Kelly Barnett hit a three to beat the buzzer and tie it up heading into the final quarter.
 
Milligan began the fourth quarter on a mission, and dominated the paint once again, using an 8-0 run featuring three layups by Courtney Wilson, Barnett and Andi Lamb to go up 61-57.
 
After CCU got to within one at 63-62, another big Buff run, this one an 8-0 stretch featuring four straight layups by Wyrick, Robinson, Lamb and another by Wyrick, made it 71-62 to all but put the game away.
 
Overall, the Buffs outscored the Lady Eagles 25-12 in the deciding quarter, going to win by 13.
 
Next up, the Buffs first home game of the season will tip off on Monday, Nov. 2, as Milligan welcomes St. Catharine College to the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. with the Buffs playing a second straight home game the following Wednesday, Nov. 4, against Warren Wilson College, also at 7:30 p.m.