PIPPA PASSES, Ky. (December 14, 2023) – A cold-shooting fourth quarter sank the Milligan University women's basketball team at Alice Lloyd on Thursday afternoon. The Buffs led by 10 heading into the fourth quarter but shot 1-13 from the field over the final 10 minutes as the Eagles rallied to an 82-77 victory.
Milligan falls to 9-3 no the season while Alice Lloyd rises to 7-4.
ALC began the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to trim Milligan's lead to 71-70 with seven minutes to play but Lauren Longmire responded with a three to keep the Buffs ahead. Milligan did not make a field goal the rest of the game but four made fouls shots had the Buffs ahead 77-73 with 2:20 remaining.
The Eagles scored on three-straight possessions to take a 79-77 lead with a minute to play. The Buffs missed all four of their shots in the final minute of regulation as ALC took the 82-77 victory.
Neither team led by more than four points in the game's opening seven minutes. After ALC took a 13-12 lead on a three-pointer, Lina Lyons reeled off six-straight points to give the Buffs an 18-13 edge with just under two minutes left in the quarter. Longmire scored the final two baskets of the quarter to extend Milligan's lead to 22-15 at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles rallied back to tie the game at 33 with 3:40 remaining in the first half. The Buffs scored the next five points and McKenna Myers drained a late three-pointer as Milligan carried a 43-37 lead into the half.
Jaycie Jenkins, Myers and Semaj Clark each drained threes in the opening five minutes of the second half to build a 61-48 lead midway through the quarter. Halie Padgett scored six-straight points in the final three minutes of the quarter and Longmire scored in the final seconds to put Milligan head 71-61 going into the fourth.
Longmire paced the Buffs with 17 points and seven rebounds. Jenkins added 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Myers made all three of her three-point attempts and finished with 11 points and three assists. Lyon had 11 points off Milligan's bench and Padgett made it five Buffs in double-figures with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Milligan had slight edges in the rebounding (41-39) and turnover (7-6) margins.
The Buffs travel to Montana to take on No. 16 Providence and No. 5 Carroll on Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.
