Milligan University

BLUEFIELD, Va. (Dec. 12, 2015) â€" James Songster's first points of the game could not have come in a more timely manner. After trailing by seven with just over four minutes left in the game, the senior guard came up with a big rebound and scored on an offensive putback in the closing seconds to complete the Milligan College men's basketball team's late rally and defeat Bluefield College 83-82 Saturday evening.
 
Songster's basket, only his second field goal attempt of the game, improved Milligan to 9-3 (5-1 AAC) where the Buffaloes are second in the Appalachian Athletic Conference behind No. 6 Union. It also dropped Bluefield to 8-5 (1-3 AAC).
 
Milligan led by as many as 11 in the first half and five in the second half, but the Buffs still needed to storm back in this one as Bluefield used a series of runs in the second half to go out to a late advantage. The Rams scored eight straight points in the middle of the second half to go into what looked to be the lead for good, and they extended their lead out to seven with four straight points shortly thereafter.
 
Jacob Cawood started Milligan's final push, a 13-5 run over the final minutes, with an old-fashioned 3-point play at the 4:10 mark. Kurt Brooks followed with a 2-pointer on the next possession before the Buffaloes took over the game at the free throw line.
 
Milligan was 7-of-9 from the charity stripe during the last run, and was 22-for-30 for the game. Only Cawood's and-one, Brooks' basket and Songster's winner gave Milligan points away from the free throw line over the last eight and a half minutes of action.
 
Brooks led Milligan with 16 points and was one of six Buffs to reach double figures in the scoring column. Julian Bailey scored 15 with 10 rebounds for his conference leading eighth double-double of the season.
 
David Casaday had 13 points, including nine from the perimeter, Gabriel Logan scored 11, and Will Buckner and Cawood scored 10 apiece.
 
For Bluefield, Teyon Henry led all scorers with 21 points off the bench. Stanthony Nelms scored 12 as one of three other Rams to reach double figures.  
 
Milligan will return to action in 2016 when the Buffs face No. 6 Union College on Saturday, Jan. 2, as part of a women's and men's doubleheader at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. Tip-offs are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.