MILLIGAN, Tenn. - Milligan University's (RV) women's basketball squad faced their most daunting test of the season on Monday evening in their home opener, as the Lady Buffs went toe to toe with the No. 2-ranked Bethel University (Tenn.) Wildcats inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse. The visitors built an eight-point lead after one period and never led by fewer than seven over the remainder of the contest, as the Buffaloes fell 77-67.
The battle's first frame was highly competitive, with the Buffaloes staying within two points of the Wildcats as late as 0:47 remaining in the period. However, a pair of late threes by BU made it an eight-point deficit at the conclusion of the quarter, 24-16. Both sides shot the ball with efficiency, with Bethel hoisting a 10-of-17 (58.8%) clip for the frame and the Buffs going 6-of-13 (46.2%) from the field.
In the second period, the offense didn't stop, as the Wildcats notched 23 points in the period on a 9-of-20 (45%) shooting mark. They also hit 4-of-6 from deep in the quarter. Milligan's 6-of-12 (50%) conversion rate on field goals was an impressive showing, but the majority of their baskets were from inside, as they hit only one three-point shot in the second frame and trailed 47-30 at the intermission.
Bethel's only slow period of the game came in the third, as they only scored eight points in the period on a dismal 4-of-13 (30.8%) shooting clip. Unfortunately for the Buffaloes, they followed suit, scoring just 11 points on an even less productive 3-of-14 (21.4%) mark. Milligan would trail by 14 points entering the fourth, 55-41.
Milligan trailed by as many as 20 points in the fourth frame, as they were behind by a 63-43 score with 8:25 to go. Then, however, a dominant 12-0 MU run made it 63-55 with 5:59 to be played against the Wildcats. That would be the closest that the Buffs would get to Bethel for the rest of the contest, as it stayed between eight and 12 points for the remainder of the bout. In the end, it was a 77-67 win for the No. 2-ranked Wildcats. Both squads shot better than 50% in the period, again.
With
Semaj Clark out of the lineup,
Lina Lyon stepped to the forefront with an 8-of-12 shooting clip on the evening. She scored 18 points to lead the team.
Jenna Hare (14) and
Kenzie Campbell (13) also notched double-digit nights scoring the orange, as they combined to hit on 11-of-15 from the floor in the battle.
Five Milligan players had three or more assists in the game, with Lyon leading the charge with four of her own. Hare, Campbell,
Makenzie Bremer and
Naomi Atchley were each responsible for three.
McKenna Myers and
Renna Lane both dealt two assists and
Caroline Krueger had the one remaining dime.
The Buffaloes held a 34-32 rebounding advantage in the loss, as Krueger led the way with six of them. Campbell and Bremer brought in five each, and Hare corralled four. Myers and
Lexi Ervin hauled in three apiece and both Atchley and Lane snatched two. Lyon had the one remaining board.
Campbell provided a team-high two steals, and both Lyon and Myers added one. The lone block of the contest for Milligan was supplied by Bremer.
The opening Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup of the season is next for the Buffs (1-3), as they face the Brenau University (Ga.) Golden Tigers inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. to open conference play.
