CLEVELAND, Ga. (Feb. 4, 2015) – Sharp free throw shooting from Hayley Wyrick helped boost the Milligan College women’s basketball team past Truett-McConnell College, 62-52, Wednesday evening in Appalachian Athletic Conference action.
Wyrick went 8-for-8 from behind the foul line, including two shots at the four minute mark of the first half which gave the Buffs the lead for the first, and final, time.
Milligan improved to 9-15 overall and 8-8 in the AAC with the victory, firming up their hold over sixth place in the conference, as Truett-McConnell fell to 6-17 overall and 2-14 in the AAC. The Buffs have won six of their last eight games with their only two losses coming from teams currently ranked in the national top 25.
With only four games left in the regular season, Milligan sits at the tipping point of the conference where a two-game gap separates the top five schools from the rest. With matchups against three-seeded Bryan College and four-seeded Reinhardt University in the near future, the Buffs have an opportunity to move up in the league before the conference tournament in the last week of February.
However, tonight the focus was on the Lady Bears, and for the first half, the game was a tight race.
Truett-McConnell started the night with a 6-0 run, giving them the lead. However, after a 3-pointer from Allison Jones, two Wyrick free throws evened the score at 11. Wyrick evened the score again four minutes later with a three, but the Buffs would still not take the lead.
It would take a Callie Cox 3-pointer and two more Wyrick free throws, but with four minutes left before the half, Milligan would take the lead.
Coming out of the locker rooms at the half, Kelly Barnett passed over to a wide-open Wyrick who sunk another three to extend the Buff lead to six, and from there, it was all Milligan.
As Wyrick, Jones, and Chelsey Weddle entered double-digit scoring on the evening, the Buffs extended their lead to as many as 16 before taking the win with the final score of 62-52.
Wyrick earned a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, with Weddle and Jones adding 13 and 11 points respectively. Weddle led the team with three steals and four assists in the contest, tying Barnett who also led the team with four assists.
Truett-McConnell’s Rhande Haskett led all scorers with 19 points and also earned a double-double with 14 rebounds. Natalie Johnson also entered double digit scoring for the Lady Bears with 12 points.
The Buffs will continue their season with a trip to Bryan College on Saturday, Feb. 7. They will return home on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to host Reinhardt University.
