KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Feb. 22, 2018) â€" Sarah Robinson, an All-Conference first team selection, led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, but the Milligan College women's basketball team came up just short of an upset over No. 23 Bryan College Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament. Bryan finished the game on an 8-3 run over the last 70 seconds to send Milligan to a 69-64 defeat.
 
The game featured No. 7 seeded Milligan (18-13, 14-10 AAC) and national No. 23 and No. 2 seeded Bryan (23-9, 19-5 AAC). Bryan, which defeated Milligan twice this season, tied the AAC regular season with No. 25 Reinhardt but lost in a one-game playoff to determine the tournament's top seed.
 
DOWN TO THE WIRE
The game featured 10 ties and 12 lead changes and came down to the final 60 seconds. After Robinson scored a bucket to put Milligan on top 61-59 with just under three minutes left, Bryan's Deandra Luna answered with a made field goal on the ensuing possession, and the game was tied at 61-61 for the next minute and a half.
 
Bryan's Tonesha Allison finally broke the 10th tie, this time for good, with an and-one to put the Lions up 64-61. Both teams followed with defensive stands, allowing Milligan to get the ball back with 14 seconds left in a three-point game. Bryan, however, made one more defensive stand and followed with enough free throws in the closing 10 seconds to seal the win.
 
LEADERS
The double-double was Robinson's team leading seventh of the season. Following next in the scoring column was Cassidy Anderson who had nine points, all coming from a 3-for-5 effort from the 3-point line. Emily Kiser made a couple of momentum swinging threes in the second half to finish with eight points. Ten Buffs scored at least one point.
 
Additionally, Mackenzie Raizor, an All-Conference second team selection, scored five points and added 10 rebounds.
 
For Bryan, Luna led with 20 points while Amber Levi was close behind with 19 points.
 
MEETINGS THIS SEASON
Bryan won both meetings during the regular season: 75-61 at Bryan on Jan. 2 and 88-69 at Milligan on Feb. 7. Robinson led the Buffs in scoring in both games, including scoring 15 points in the first matchup.