PIPPA PASSES, Ky. – On Tuesday evening, the (RV) Milligan University women's basketball team (1-2) went up the road to Pippa Passes, Ky. and faced off with the Eagles of Alice Lloyd College (0-2). After a slow start that left the Buffs trailing after the first quarter of play, they found their rhythm and left with an 88-79 victory.  

 
The Eagles scored the first five points of the game off a three-pointer and a layup, but the Lady Buffs responded with the same scoring sequence, as a three from Semaj Clark and a layup from Lina Lyon knotted the score at five. Alice Lloyd went on an 8-0 scoring run to take the lead 13-5, but after a Jenna Hare three the Lady Buffs were back within two points with under five minutes to play in the first stanza. Both sides traded baskets until the end of the quarter and the Eagles led by a point (18-17) heading into the second quarter.  

Alice Lloyd extended the lead to eight to begin the second quarter, but a Hare three-point jumper halted the momentum. Milligan imposed their will in the paint over the next eight minutes. After five free throws and layups from Lyon and McKenzie Bremer, a Clark jumper tied the score at 31 with under three minutes left before halftime. Just before the buzzer, Hare nailed a jumper to give Milligan a 39-35 lead heading into the break.  

The Buffaloes began the second half with a 10-6 run off a pair of buckets from Lyon, and MU extended the lead to 10 after a Lexi Ervin free throw. The Eagles responded with a layup, but a buzzer beater from Ervin gave Milligan a 65-55 advantage going into the fourth quarter.  

It was the Eagles that scored six quick points to start the final quarter, bringing them within six at 67-61 with eight minutes to play. A layup from Myers and jumper from Hare returned the Lady Buffs advantage to 10, and with six minutes to play they took their largest of lead of the game after a Lyon layup made the score 75-61. Milligan led by double digits until an Eagles layup brought them within nine with just under four minutes to play. In the closing minutes Milligan took care of business at the charity stripe to win by a final score of 88-79.  

Clark scored a team-high 19 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 1-of-1 from the three-point line, but it was a group effort offensively, as five other Lady Buffs reached double-digits in Hare (16), Lyon (14), Myers (12), Kenzie Campbell (11), and Ervin (11). Milligan shot 5-of-14 (35.7%) beyond the arc and 27-of-55 (49.1%) overall. Clark completed her double-double on the glass, grabbing a team-high 10 boards. Lyon dished out seven assists, while Clark, Campbell, Ervin, and Naomi Atchley had two.

Clark tallied three steals in the win, and Bremer added two steals to the eight-theft total that the Buffs managed. Myers, Lyon, and Hare each had one steal. 

Milligan outrebounded Alice Lloyd 40-37 and outscored them in second chance points, 6-4. The Buffs outpaced the Eagles in transition (8-0) and points off turnovers (18-9). MU spent more time at the charity stripe with 41 attempts compared to ALC's 17. Overall, there was only one score change and the Lady Buffs held the largest advantage of 14 points. 

The Lady Buffs will be back in action Monday, Nov. 10 when they host their first home game of the season against No. 2-ranked Bethel (Tenn.). Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.