COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 24, 2018) â€" The Milligan College women's basketball team did not put up quite as many points as last time, but in the end the result was the same as the Buffs defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Columbia College, 60-36, Wednesday evening on the road.
 
The win lifted Milligan to 12-10 (8-8 AAC) on the season and marked the Buffs' fifth win in the last six games. It knocked Columbia, which has now lost nine of its last 10, down to 3-17 (3-13 AAC).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Milligan went over the century mark with a 104-55 win at Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. Six Buffs were in double figures, led by Emily Kiser with 16 points off the bench. Milligan used a 26-0 run to lead 29-4 at the end of the first quarter, then never looked back.
 
THIS TIME THEY MET
While Milligan's offense did not make it to the century mark and there was no unstoppable run early on, Milligan's defense provided one of the best outcomes of the season. Milligan held Columbia to 36 points on 15-of-62 shooting (24.2%) marking the first time since 2013 that Milligan held its opponent under 40 points. Milligan also limited the Koalas to no made shots behind the 3-point line as Columbia went 0-for-14 from three.
 
Milligan held Columbia to only 15 first-half points, leading 27-15 at the break, then limited Columbia to 10 points in the third quarter and 11 points in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, after a slow first quarter which saw the Buffs only score eight, Milligan took off with a big second quarter and a solid second half of scoring.
 
THE LAST TIME THE GAME WAS CLOSE
Milligan never trailed but Columbia was still able to keep it a two-possession game through the first 11 minutes. Sarah Robinson started the pull-away with back-to-back baskets early in the second quarter which built Milligan's lead out to double digits, then the Buffaloes held a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
 
After a 27-15 lead at the break, Milligan led by double figures for the entire second half and even went ahead by as many as 19 in the third quarter. Cassidy Anderson made a field goal in the final minute of the third quarter to give the Buffs that lead, which marked their largest of the game until that point.
 
LEADERS
Milligan's top three scorers outscored Columbia 40-36 as Robinson led all scorers with 18 points, Mackenzie Raizor scored 15, and Emma Kate Brown added seven. Eight other Buffs made it into the scorebook in the scoring column.
 
Robinson and Raizor both made it a double-double with 11 and 12 rebounds, respectively. Rebecca Maxwell registered seven rebounds. 
 
For Columbia, seven players registered points, led by Morgan Varn with nine.
 
NEXT UP
Milligan starts a four-game home streak on Saturday when the Buffs host Allen University at 2 p.m. inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. Robinson and Kaely Gose led the Buffs with nine points apiece the last time Milligan and Allen met, but the Yellow Jackets pulled away with a 71-54 win prior to the Christmas break.