BRISTOL, VA (January 23, 2007) --- The Milligan College men’s basketball team, who entered the day just one game out of first-place in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) standings suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Virginia Intermont College on Tuesday night in Bristol, Va., 72-70.

The Buffs were led by Danny McKeehan (Morrow, Ohio) who scored a game-high 20 points, Jeff Barnes (Franklin, Tenn.) who scored 16 points and snatched 13 rebounds, and Zach Dezarn (Franklin, Ohio) and Tyler Estepp (Limestone, Tenn.) who scored 12 points apiece.

Milligan was in control early, and thanks to a poor half of shooting from V.I., who was just 11-for-33 (33 percent) in the opening period, led 35-25 at halftime.

The second half would be much different however, as V.I. went 18-for-33 (55 percent) to mount the comeback.

V.I. took the lead with eight minutes to go in the game, but Josh Terry’s (Jonesville, Va.) three-pointer knotted the game up at 70-70 with just over a minute remaining.

After a crucial five-second violation call against Dezarn, V.I scored with just 2.8 seconds remaining to take the lead 72-70. When McKeehan's three-point attempt at the buzzer went astray, the score was made final.

Fortunately for the Buffs, Tennessee Wesleyan College lost at King, keeping Milligan in a second-place tie in the AAC.

The loss moves the Buffs’ overall record to 16-6 on the year, while they fall to 8-3 within the AAC.

Milligan will face-off with King College on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse.