MONTREAT, N.C. (Jan. 14, 2015) – Breaking career highs has become the norm for the Milligan College women’s basketball team as they took home their second Appalachian Athletic Conference win in a row Wednesday evening. The Buffaloes bested Montreat College 80-69.
Milligan has won three of their last five games, and despite a 5-13 overall record, the Buffs sit in a four-way tie for sixth place in the AAC with a conference record of 4-6. Only three games separate fourth place from sixth, marking a highly competitive and open conference going into the final half of the season.
Wednesday’s game also proved to be a tight race. The Buffs traded points with the Cavaliers throughout the first half, tying the game five times. Allison Jones, who scored a career high 33 points on the evening, sunk the final six points of the first half for the Buffs which subsequently gave them a six-point lead at the half. Her previous high of 27 points was made in November of 2013 against Point University.
Montreat brought the game within one point twice in the second half, but Jones and Hayley Wyrick wiped away their chances at the lead both times. A free throw from Chelsey Weddle gave the Buffs their biggest lead of the evening just 16 seconds from the final buzzer, and after a field goal from Montreat’s Taylor Settlemyre, the Buffs took the victory 80-69.
Jones led all scorers with 33 points, adding five assists and four steals, and Wyrick continued her double-digit scoring streak with 14 points, making this her 22nd straight game with 10 or more points.
Callie Cox, who also scored in double-digits for the Buffs with 12 points, went 6-for-6 from the free throw line, adding a block and two steals.
The Cavaliers were led by Gabrielle King who scored 19 points, followed by teammates Hannah Calloway and Monique Taylor who scored 13 and 11 points respectively.
The Buffs continue their season with a home matchup against Point University on Saturday, Jan. 17. The Skyhawks are currently in a battle for fourth place in the AAC, standing only half a game out of second. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. with the men’s game to follow at 4 p.m.
