MONTREAT, N.C. (Jan. 14, 2015) – Kurt Brooks scored a career high 21 points, and four others reached double figures as the Milligan College men’s basketball team made easy work of Appalachian Athletic Conference foe and regional rival Montreat College Wednesday night, defeating the Cavaliers 96-71.
Milligan, which jumped back into the receiving votes category of the national top-25 poll this week, improved to 12-5 (7-2 AAC) and maintained its second-place standing in the AAC. The Buffaloes also remained one game back of league frontrunner Union College, which defeated Reinhardt tonight on the road. Montreat dropped to 5-8 (4-5 AAC).
The Buffaloes’ win over Montreat, their 12th straight over the Cavaliers, came in a much different fashion than last year’s meeting inside Montreat’s McAlister Gymnasium. In that one, there were two ties and three lead changes in the final four minutes, and Brooks made a pair of late 3-pointers to send the Buffaloes to a 99-97 victory in the regular season finale. Wednesday’s game saw no ties and no lead changes across all 40 minutes.
Milligan shot out to leads of 10-2 and 25-10 within the first several minutes before extending the advantage to 20 by the eight-minute mark of the first half. Brooks was hardly needed beyond that point, much less in the closing minutes as the Buffaloes led 49-29 at the break and put it on cruise control in the second half.
Brooks was 6-of-11 from the field and made four 3-point baskets on eight attempts. His previous career high was 19 which he had done twice in his career, most recently at Reinhardt 11 days ago. Brooks added five assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Mickey Woods scored 16 alongside four assists, and Morgan McLeod scored 12. Julian Bailey and Gabriel Logan scored 13 and 10, respectively, both off the bench. All 11 Buffaloes that received playing time entered the scoring column.
Milligan shot 60.7 percent (18-30) from the field, including 44.4 percent (8-18) from 3-point.
Montreat put three players in double-figure scoring, led by Josh Foster’s 17 points and 11 rebounds. Melvin Irvin and Ryan Bethoney scored 15 and 10 respectively, and Will Lewis had eight points and seven assists.
Milligan will host Point University (1-19, 0-9 AAC) on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. following a 2 p.m. women’s game. At halftime of the men’s game, Milligan will honor former head coach and Hall of Famer Phil Worrell along with several of Worrell’s formers players from the 1970s and ’80s as part of a men’s basketball reunion.
