BRISTOL, TN (February 22, 2007) --- The Milligan College women’s basketball team took their first step towards an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) tournament championship with a 79-72 first-round victory over No. 4 seed Covenant (Ga.) College Thursday afternoon. The Lady Buffs, the No. 5 seed, will advance to the AAC semifinals to play the winner of the Bryan (Tenn.) College and Montreat (N.C.) College game Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at King College’s Student Center Complex in Bristol, Tenn. Milligan improves their record to 19-12.

Milligan trailed 38-33 three minutes into the second half. Leah Anderson (Lexington, Ky.) and Kara Monk (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) made back-to-back baskets to cut the lead down to one with 15:40 left. Covenant’s Laura Grady scored to push the lead back to three points 36 seconds later. Sophomore Rikki Baughman (Elizabethton, Tenn.) scored and was fouled on the play. Her free throw completed the three-point play and tied the game, 40-40. Monk was fouled and her two free throws put the Lady Buffs up by two once again with 14:15 to go.

The Lady Buffs would build a five point lead, but Covenant responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game at 45 once again.

A rebound from Hali Sparks (Erwin, Tenn.) then a pass to Kacie Letterman (Gray, Tenn.) set up a key play for Milligan. Letterman threw a deep pass down to a wide-open Baughman under the Milligan basket. Baughman converted on the scoring chance and she was fouled on the play. She made the free throw to reestablish a three-point lead, 48-45, with 11:42 left on the clock.

Both teams traded points, but Covenant would retake the lead with just under five minutes remaining. Liz Martin scored three of her game high 22 points to put the Lady Scots in front 60-58.

Baughman scored four straight points, two on a field goal and two at the free throw line, to put Milligan back in front 62-60. Bekah Smith cut the Milligan lead in half with her free throw and Letterman pushed the lead back to three points with her field goal. Erin McNerney made a three to tie the game, and Michaela Ibach’s basket put Covenant in front 66-64 with 2:18 remaining.

Anderson gave Milligan the lead for good, 67-66, with her three pointer. Her basket came with 2:05 to play. The Lady Buffs scored nine straight points before Covenant scored a basket with 7 seconds left. Anderson knocked down two more free throws and Martin sunk a three pointer as the buzzer went off to make the final score 79-72.

In the first half, Covenant would build a 24-14 advantage over the first 13 minutes. Milligan finished the half on a 15-8 run, which included six points from Baughman, to cut the deficit down to 32-29 going into the halftime break.

Baughman, an All-AAC performer, scored a game-high 24 points, which included a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line in Milligan’s win. She also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Anderson accounted for 15 points and Letterman finished the game with 12 points. Letterman was 2-for-3 from behind the three point line.

For Covenant, Martin scored 22 points, while Biles added 19 points.

For the game, the Lady Buffs shot 48.9 percent (22-for-45) compared to Covenant’s 34.8 percent (24-for-69). Covenant went 9-for-32 (28.1 percent) from behind the three-point line while Milligan was 32-for-39 (82.1 percent) at the free-throw line. Milligan out rebounded the Lady Scots 35-30.