WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – On Friday morning, the (RV) Milligan University women's basketball team concluded their second of two contests at University of the Cumberlands (Ky.). After a season-opening loss to No. 24 Lindsey Wilson, they battled the homestanding No. 25 ranked Patriots this time around. Another slow start proved to be the Buffaloes' downfall, as they closed out the bout with a 77-64 loss.

The opening frame saw the Lady Buffs struggle mightily from the field, shooting at just 23.1% (3-of-13) in the quarter. Two of those three connections were from long range. On the flip side, Cumberlands put a 9-of-18 period under their belts to score 20 points for the period and led the Buffaloes 20-11 after 10 minutes had elapsed. The Buffs were outrebounded 12-4 to start the contest.

Having shaken off the cobwebs in the first stanza, Milligan lit up the scoreboard with a 9-of-15 (60%) showing in the second quarter of play. Three more baskets made from distance helped them notch 21 points in the period. The Patriots continued to score, though, as they poured in 10 shots on 17 attempts to total 24 points of their own. Milligan surrendered nine turnovers to the Pats in the first half, which played into the eventual 44-32 deficit at the break.

The penultimate period of the battle went in the Buffaloes' favor, as they took 22 shots in the period and did not cough up the orange on any occasion. They made eight of those attempts and scored 21 points, matching their second-quarter output. For Cumberlands, it was an 18-point frame, their lowest-scoring stanza of the game, as the Buffs cut the UC edge down to 62-53 with 10 minutes remaining.

Neither side had a stellar fourth quarter, with only the Patriots reaching at least 15 points scored in the period. The sides combined to knock down only eight field goals in the fourth. Cumberlands shot only 4-of-11 in the quarter, and the Buffaloes went just 4-of-16 from the floor. In the final minutes, UC went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line to bolster their lead, which ended up concluding at 77-64 at the battle's end.
In the end, MU shot just 24-of-66 (36.4%) for the game, and UC was a more efficient 29-of-60 (48.3%). Milligan did outshoot the Patriots from deep, going 11-of-31 (35.5%) from beyond the arc. Cumberlands only took 10 threes, making three of them. The Patriots dominated the paint, holding a 42-18 margin over the Lady Buffs for the contest.

It was a breakout for Kenzie Campbell in the battle, as she scored 20 points for the team to lead the way off the bench in 23 minutes played. She converted on 7-of-12 from the field and an otherworldly 6-of-9 from behind the three-point line. Semaj Clark scored 17 in the defeat on a 6-of-14 day from the floor. She hit half of her three-point attempts, nailing 3-of-6. McKenna Myers added eight points and Jenna Hare supplied seven for the roster.

Myers and Lina Lyon each passed out three assists in the game, nearly making up half of the assist output. Clark and Naomi Atchley both provided two assists for the team and Campbell, Hare and Caroline Krueger were responsible for the remaining three.

Campbell posted her first double-double with a 10-rebound performance in the loss. She was followed by Clark in that category, who had six. Myers tallied four, Hare brought in three, and Atchley and Makenzie Bremer snatched a pair apiece.

Defensively, the Lady Buffs stole the rock seven times in the contest, as Myers and Atchley combined for four of those. The other three were snatched by Krueger, Campbell and Hare.

Now, the Buffaloes continue their slate on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky., where they will look to get into the win column for the first time in the 2025-26 campaign.