MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (January 21, 2006)---The Milligan College men’s basketball team was defeated by the Bulldogs of Union College in an Appalachian Athletic Conference match by a score of 84-73 on Saturday night at the Steve Lacy fieldhouse.

Union was able to set the tone early, beginning the game on an 11-0 run fueled by five Buff turnovers in the first four minutes.

Milligan was able to bounce back however, and a three-pointer by junior Adam Hughes (Bluff City, Tenn.), who led all scorers at the half with 16 points, and went on to score 18 points and grab 10 rebounds in the game, pulled Milligan within two at the ten-minute mark.

That was as close as the Buffaloes would come.

Leading by six at the start of the second half, Union’s Jerrod Gibbons served as the Bulldogs’ second-half springboard by knocking down a three pointer to extend the lead to nine.

Milligan, despite strong efforts from both Hughes and Adrian Harrison (Greensboro, N.C.), who had 19 points, was unable to muster the comeback.

Gibbons led all scorers with 22 points in the contest.

Union was also aided by solid performances from Ryne Bretz, who scored 13 points, and Max Hunter who scored 11 and tallied nine rebounds.

With the loss, Milligan falls to 9-10 overall, and 3-8 in the AAC. Union keeps pace at second place in the AAC by improving to 9-3 in the conference and 15-7 overall.

Milligan will look to rebound on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in Bristol, Tenn. versus King College. That game is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.