MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Jan. 2, 2018) â€" Daxton Bostian made a 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left to lift Milligan College's men's basketball team to a 78-75 Appalachian Athletic Conference win over Bryan College Tuesday evening inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. The shot marked the second time this season Bostian made a game-winning shot in the closing seconds, and it helped the Buffs overcome a 12-point second half deficit.
 
The win to start the new year moved Milligan to 5-9 this season and 4-4 in the AAC. Bryan moved to 9-7 (4-4 AAC), and the two teams are now tied for sixth in the AAC near the midpoint of the season.
 
BOSTIAN'S SHOT COMPLETES COMEBACK
Bostian made the 3-pointer, his only made 3-pointer of the game, from the top of the arc with six seconds left. Milligan and Bryan were tied at 75-75 after a layup from Bryan's Reagan Johnson gave the two teams their sixth tie of the game with 19 seconds left. Previously, Milligan had trailed by 12 at the half and again with less than 15 minutes left but battled back.
 
In fact, Milligan did not have a lead for over 27 minutes but battled back thanks mostly to an 8-0 run starting with a Will Buckner bucket at the 7:34 mark which helped Milligan trim the lead to one, 64-63. After a series of traded baskets and tie games, Milligan finally took the lead back with just over four minutes left on two David Casaday made free throws.
 
Shortly after Casaday's made free throws, Bo Pless made a big shot of his own by knocking down a 3-pointer to give Milligan the lead for good with three and a half minutes left, and the Buffs never trailed the rest of the way.
 
Bryan tied it three times in the closing three minutes but the Buffs had the answer ever time, finishing with Bostian's final 3-pointer.
 
MILLIGAN LEADERS
Aaron Levarity had a monster game of 18 points and 15 rebounds for his AAC-leading ninth double-double of the season. Levarity, who ranked No. 5 in the nation in double-doubles, came down with an offensive rebound for his 10th rebound, then immediately made two free throws for his ninth and 10th points to register the double-double with 30 seconds left in the first half.
 
Casaday matched Levarity in scoring output with 18 points, and Buckner followed next with nine points. Bostian finished with eight points alongside Tyler Faulkenberry's eight points, and every Buff to enter the contest made at least one field goal.
 
FOR BRYAN
Oteriah Lee led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting, including 3-for-3 shooting from the perimeter. Lee gave the Lions their last gasp with a heave from near the midcourt line as time expired, but the shot rimmed out. Next in the scoring column for Bryan was Johnson with 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
 
UP NEXT FOR MILLIGAN
Milligan has another home game this week as the Buffs face No. 17 Montreat College on Saturday at 4 p.m. as part of a women's and men's AAC doubleheader back at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. After that, Milligan will not be back home again until Tuesday, Jan. 16, versus Bluefield College.