BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – On Saturday afternoon, the Milligan University men's basketball team made their way up to Barbourville, Ky. for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup against the Bulldogs of Union Commonwealth University. In a fight that was close from the very start, the Buffaloes put a vice grip on their slim lead in the late stages to come out victorious, 74-67.
Half number one saw Milligan shoot at 12-of-28 (42.9%), while they were able to score 37 points in the stanza despite a 2-of-12 three-point clip. In the meantime, Union Commonwealth could only sink 11-of-31 (35.5%) from the field. The Bulldogs began the period with the advantage, jumping out to a 19-11 lead with 12:19 to go. Milligan fought back to tie the game 28-28 with 3:55 left in the half and then outscored UCU 9-3 over those last moments of the frame to take a 37-31 lead to the break.
The Buffs shot the ball at a better mark in the second half, falling one make short of 50% at 15-of-32. They did, however, struggle at the free-throw line and from beyond the arc. They made only six of their 16 free throws and went 1-of-7 from deep. The Bulldogs were also one make shy of a 50% conversion rate from the field in the second at 13-of-27. Milligan never relinquished their lead in the second half, but they did allow UCU to get within one point on multiple occasions. Each of those times, the Buffaloes showed the fortitude to hang on to the advantage and ultimately worked their lead back up to seven points at the game's conclusion, 74-67.
Just a pair of Buffaloes had double-digits in scoring, as McCaskill Rivers scored 17 in the second half to reach his game-high mark of 23 points. Luke Lentz was Milligan's other scorer of choice in the victory, as he scored 15 points on 5-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-8 from deep. That total tied his season-best output, which he set last time out against Bluefield.
Tamba topped the box score for Milligan in the rebounding category, as he hauled in nine shots off the rim. Carlson was next with six in the game, and Jayme Peay contributed five. McClure, Gold and Rivers each had four, as Bredwood notched three and Lentz nabbed one.
Gold was outstanding on defense, tallying four steals, while Bredwood also played at a high level with three takeaways. Tamba rejected two shots and Carlson sent back one.
The Buffaloes continue to show their mettle, as they have now won six of their last seven AAC matchups. They now look forward to their long-awaited return to the comforts of Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for a battle against the Montreat College Cavaliers on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
