Box Score
Box Score
The Millsaps Majors used a 20-5 run to open up the second half on Sunday afternoon, before taking home a 59-43 victory over Sewanee in women's basketball action. The Tigers trailed by just ten points at halftime but the Majors managed to extend their lead to as many as 20 in the second half on their way to the win. Dana Middleton (Norcross, Ga., Marist) led Sewanee with 15 points and three steals as the Tigers fell to 2-16 on the season and 0-11 in the SCAC. With the win, Millsaps moves to 9-10 overall and 6-5 in the conference.
It took nearly two minutes of play before either team found the basket, but Middleton started things off when she knocked down a lay up in the paint and got fouled. She turned it into an old-fashioned three-point play when she nailed the freebie to put Sewanee ahead 3-0. The Majors responded quickly as Lovie Love nailed a 3-pointer for the visitors to tie things up.
Millsaps took a three point lead when Shante Morton connected on the Majors' second straight 3-pointer. Alex Ginsburg (Hollywood, S.C., Pinewood Prep) knocked down a jumper for the Tigers to make it 6-5 Millsaps, but the Majors responded with a 7-0 run to take an eight point lead, 13-5. The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes as Sewanee used back-to-back treys from Clarissa Medley (LaFollette, Tenn., J. Frank White Academy) to cut their deficit to one, 19-18, at the halfway point of the first half.
The Majors stretched their lead back to six when they outscored the Tigers 6-1 over a two minute span, taking a 25-19 lead. Medley grabbed a basket for Sewanee to make it 25-21, but Millsaps scored six straight points to close out the first half and head into the break with a 31-21 lead.
Sewanee scored first in the second half as Claire Elliott (Louisville, Ky, Assumption) knocked down a short jumper to make it 31-23 and two minutes later, the Tigers cut the Majors' lead to five, 31-26, when Middleton connected on a 3-pointer. But Millsaps responded with a 9-0 run to jump out to a 14-point lead, their largest of the game, at the 13:53 mark. Sewanee managed to stem the attack when Elliott grabbed another basket for the Tigers, making it 40-28, Millsaps. The Majors knocked down two straight baskets to push their lead all the way to 16, 44-28, as the midway point of the final frame approached.
Dani Kabbes (Chesterfield, Mo., Villa Duchesne) got a score from the Tigers to make it 44-30, but the Majors outscored the Tigers 7-1 over the next three minutes, extending their lead to 20 and making it 51-31 with seven and half minutes to play. Elliott knocked down a 3-pointer for the Tigers but Millsaps responded with another basket from Love to go ahead 53-34.
Moments later, the Tigers found themselves down 18, 54-36, before Middleton scored five straight points to cut the Millsaps' lead to 13, 54-41, with just over two minutes remaining. Elizabeth Sigafoose pushed the Majors' lead back to 15 with a short jumper but Middleton again made the difference 13 when she nailed another lay up in the paint. But it was too late and the Tigers were never able to pull any closer before Millsaps walked away with a 16-point 59-43 victory.
Middleton finished with 15 points and three steals for the Tigers. Elliott also added double-figures for Sewanee, grabbing 10 points and four rebounds. Kabbes finished with 10 rebounds on the day to go along with two assists and two steals. Logan Miller (Franklin, Tenn., Christ Presbyterian) also chipped in four steals in the effort.
Millsaps' Lovie Love led all scorers with 16 points, while Janice Okeke finished with a double-double, 12 points and 13 rebounds. Shante Morton added 11 points and Shatoya White chipped in 10.
As a team, the Tigers shot just 27% in the contest, going 17 of 63, including 6 of 28 from the 3-point line (21.4%). Sewanee went just 3 of 7 from the free throw line. Millsaps went 23 of 40 from the field (57.5%) in the contest. The Majors finished 5 of 14 from beyond the arc and 8 of 13 from the charity stripe.
The Tigers managed to force Millsaps into 21 turnovers in the game, while committing just 10 themselves. But Millsaps held the edge in rebounding, 38-31.
Sewanee will be back in action on Tuesday when they head to Covenant College for a non-conference battle with the Scots.
