PIPPA PASSES, Ky. (Nov. 5, 2015) â€" Led by 21 points from senior Kurt Brooks and 17 from junior Alex Biggerstaff, the Milligan College men's basketball team withstood a furious rally by the Alice Lloyd College Eagles to come away with a 90-86 overtime victory in its season opener at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center.
 
Milligan began its season 1-0 and has now defeated Alice Lloyd (1-1) seven times in the last eight meetings, including each of the last five.
 
The Buffs hit eight 3-pointers in the first half, six of which came from Brooks and Biggerstaff with three each. Brooks finished with five threes on the night and was 7-14 from the field. Biggerstaff shot 6-12 from the field.
 
Additionally, Gabriel Logan had 16 points and five assists, Milos Petrovic had 13 points on 6-10 shooting, and Julian Bailey added 10 points and 12 rebounds to start his senior season.
 
The Buffs used a 9-1 run early in the second half to take its largest lead of the game at 15 (50-35), but a 17-7 Eagles run made it a five-point margin at 57-52.
 
After Milligan got the lead back to nine thanks to a jumper by Petrovic, Alice Lloyd used an 11-2 run and capitalized on five Buffs' turnovers to tie it up at 65.
 
The Buffs responded immediately with transition layups by Brooks and Logan to make it 69-65, and went up five after an and-one by Brooks to make it 74-69.
 
A four-point play by Brooks put Milligan ahead 78-73 with under a minute to play before the Eagles scored five unanswered points to force overtime.
 
Milligan trailed by three in the extra frame at 86-83 before back-to-back pairs of free throws by David Casaday and Biggerstaff put Milligan up for good.
 
The Buffs were the beneficiaries of hitting the offensive glass early in the game as an offensive rebound and put-back by Bailey, an offensive rebound by Petrovic with the dish to James Songster for three, and a final offensive rebound by Songster with the dish to Brooks for three put the Buffs up 8-2.
 
Next, with the game tied at 16, the Buffs used an 11-4 run featuring two 3-pointers by Biggerstaff and Brooks' third three of the half to take a 27-20 lead.
 
After the Eagles got it back to one at 31-30, Milligan scored 11 straight points on two buckets from Biggerstaff, one of which was another 3-pointer, two free throws from Logan, and a three from Jacob Cawood to just beat the shot clock, sending the Buffs into the break on a 11-2 run and a 41-32 lead.
 
Milligan will now set its sights on its first home game of the season as the Buffs tip off at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. against Emory & Henry College.