BRIDGEWATER, Va. (Dec. 12, 2014) – Mickey Woods scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and the Milligan College men’s basketball team overcame a 10-point second-half deficit, but the Buffaloes fell short, 88-83, to Eastern Mennonite University in the opening game of the Don Glick Classic hosted by Bridgewater College Friday night.
Milligan (10-3, 5-1 AAC) trailed by as many as 12 in the opening half and by eight, 40-32, at the intermission before outscoring EMU 51-48 over the last 20 minutes. During one stretch in the second half, Mike Woods, Jr. and Woods connected on 3-pointers on three straight possessions during a 14-2 run which put the Buffs up 61-58. Then they extended it to 74-68 after back-to-back triples from Woods, Jr. and James Songster inside the eight-minute mark.
Milligan, which is currently receiving votes in the national top 25 poll, was 8-of-18 (44.4%) from 3-point range, including 7-of-12 (58.3%) in the second half. Woods accounted for 6-of-9 from 3-point and made each of his first five 3-pointers in the second half.
The 51 points scored by the Buffs marked a season high for second-half scoring output as Woods (22) and Woods, Jr. (10) both reached double figures while five other players made at least one field goal in the second half.
Woods’ 31 points led all scorers and was a season high for the senior. It also marked the fourth time in the last two seasons that the Port Arthur, Texas, native reached 30 points in a game. Woods’ career high was 45 in November of last season at Berea College.
Fellow senior Morgan McLeod was held to six points but made two huge baskets in the last three minutes that ensured a thrilling finish. With the score tied at 79-79, McLeod scored his first basket since early in the first half then followed it up three possessions later with a basket underneath that made it a one-point game, 84-83, with 1:39 left.
EMU, an NCAA Division III school, closed out the game with the last four points, however. All four points came from the free throw line in the last 30 seconds.
Woods, Jr. finished with 12 points, and Julian Bailey scored 14 alongside 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
EMU was led in scoring by Ryan Yates and David Falk who scored 22 and 20, respectively, both off the bench. Marcel Crump scored 17 for the Royals.
Milligan will turn right back around for a game on Saturday against Bridgewater College in the final game of the Don Glick Classic. Tip is set for 4 p.m.
