ATHENS, Tenn. (Nov. 18, 2015) – After entering the start of the Appalachian Athletic Conference season as one of four undefeated teams, the Milligan College women’s basketball team began league play right where it left off in nonconference action, defeating No. 23 Tennessee Wesleyan College 71-68 Wednesday night at James L. Robb Gymnasium and Dwain Farmer Court.

Milligan, who also began the night as one of three teams in the AAC to be 6-0, improved its record to 7-0 overall and 1-0 in the AAC, while Tennessee Wesleyan dropped to 0-2 and 0-1. The Buffaloes seven wins is also already half of the total number of victories Milligan accumulated last season.

Hayley Wyrick continued her double-digit scoring streak with a game-high 21 points for her sixth effort of 16 or more points this season. Allison Jones scored 13 points, while Sarah Robinson had the fourth double-double of her freshman season through only three quarters. She finished with 16 total points and 14 rebounds.

Strong shooting was a key for the Buffs on the night at Robinson shot 7-9 from the field, Wyrick was 8-13 and Morgan Gose was 3-4, finishing with six points. Callie Cox also finished with six points on 2-4 shooting from three. As a team, Milligan shot 46.5 percent (27-58) from the field and added a 39-percent mark from 3-point range.

As all good teams do, TWC would not go down without a fight and continued to make runs in the final quarter to cut into Milligan’s narrow advantage. However, the entire game, and especially the fourth quarter, was a game of responses as every time the Lady Bulldogs cut the score to two or less points, Milligan answered almost immediately.

Wyrick hit a 3-pointer and another field goal, Robinson hit two shots and a free throw, and Jones hit a pair of free throws to answer runs by TWC all within the first eight minutes of the final quarter as the Lady Bulldogs got to within two points six times and within one point four times, but could not get over the hump to tie it or take the lead.

After Milligan went ahead by five at 68-63 thanks to another basket by Jones with only 19 seconds remaining, the Lady Bulldogs answered with a score only six seconds later to get it back to within three points before Lindsee Price and Wyrick put it out of reach at the free throw line. Jones (4-4) and Wyrick 3-3) were both perfect at the charity stripe while Robinson and Price were 2-3 and 1-2, respectively, helping Milligan to take advantage of free points.

It was a back-and-forth first quarter as Milligan took its first lead at 7-6 thanks to a 3-pointer from Jones and a basket by Wyrick. The Buffs then led at 9-8 and 11-9 thanks to second baskets from Jones and Wyrick, respectively, but six straight Lady Bulldog points put Milligan behind 15-11 with just under three minutes left in the quarter.

The Buffs, however, responded with five straight points of their own to close out the quarter leading 16-15 as Kelly Barnett connected on a 3-pointer and Gose finished a quick transition play for Milligan by going baseline and finishing with a contested layup to beat the clock.

After a competitive first quarter, the second frame was when the Buffs really hit their stride and began to take over the game.

After another score by Gose to start the quarter put Milligan up by three, another streak of five consecutive points, but this time by TWC, made it 20-18 in favor of the Lady Bulldogs two and a half minutes in. Gose and Milligan, however, answered back yet again as Gose scored her third basket of the first half and ignited a 9-2 run that made it 27-22 with just over two minutes remaining in the opening half. Robinson and Wyrick both scored for Milligan on the run, while Cox added a three.

The Buffs continued to widen their lead as Cox hit her second triple of the half to make it 30-23, and then went into the break with their largest lead of the half at eight, 32-24, thanks to a pair of free throws from Jones, which were Milligan’s only attempts from the charity stripe for the half.

Overall, Milligan finished the first half on a 14-4 run, shot nearly 42 percent from the field in the period (13-31), and had four players, Wyrick, Jones, Gose and Cox, who had already reached six or more points, while Robinson already had six boards.

The Buffs continued their hot shooting in the second half, hitting six out of their first nine shots as the two teams spent the first four and a half minutes trading baskets before TWC got within five at 38-33 after back-to-back scores by Melanie Barker.

Milligan responded again with four straight points on scores by Robinson and Wyrick to make it a nine-point, and then the teams against traded baskets for the next three minutes, including trading 3-pointers at the two-minute mark to make it 47-40. The Milligan 3-pointer came from Wyrick while the TWC three was rattled in by Madison Walkup.

The Lady Bulldogs then scored four final points in the quarter, ending with two free throws from Walkup, to make things tight at 47-44. Robinson already had 10 points and 10 rebounds heading into the fourth quarter for Milligan.

Tennessee Wesleyan was paced by a double-double from Barker, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and a 13-point effort by Hunter Simpson. Walkup added seven points on 4-4 shooting from the free throw line.

Wednesday’s victory was Milligan’s first over a nationally ranked opponent since a 61-55 victory over these same Lady Bulldogs when they were ranked No. 17 in the nation on Feb. 28 in the 2014 AAC Tournament.

Next up, the Buffs return to the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for their first home conference game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, against St. Andrews University. Game time is set for 2 p.m. with the men’s game to follow.