SEWANEE, Tenn. – Freshman
Hannah Cleveland netted a season-best 25 points,
Olivia Falvey added 18 and Sewanee ended the game with a 17-4 run over the final four minutes, erasing a seven-point fourth quarter deficit in a 78-72 victory over league-leading Millsaps College in women's basketball action here Sunday at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (10-9, 3-3 SAA) posted their third straight conference win, the first three-game league winning streak in five years, and registered a victory in the first of two straight contests against the Majors (16-3, 5-1), with the two teams meeting next Saturday in Jackson, Miss.
Sewanee led by a point at the half and held a five-point edge to start the fourth quarter before Millsaps put together a 16-4 spurt over the first six minutes of the period. Tia Anderson and Haley Franklin netted all 16 points in the run, with Anderson hitting a pair of 3-pointers to begin the stretch and Franklin, who finished with a game-high 28 points, collecting four straight baskets before another by Anderson gave the Majors a 68-61 advantage with 4:44 remaining.
Cydney Wright, who missed much of the second half with foul trouble, finally ended the run with a basket at 4:04 and Falvey followed with a huge triple, cutting the deficit to two. Wright added another bucket and after a Elyse Warren layup for the Majors, the Sewanee junior scored again before a putback by Cleveland put the Tigers in front for good, 72-71, with 1:34 to play.
Franklin committed a turnover on the next Millsaps possession, with Wright knocking the ball away, which led to a fastbreak where
Faith Humphrey was fouled and she made both free throws with 1:12 on the clock. Garin Freeman was fouled for the Majors and hit 1-of-2, keeping the Sewanee lead at two with 1:04 remaining.
Falvey missed a 3-pointer but the rebound went off Millsaps but Wright missed a driving layup, giving the Majors a chance to the contest.
Kayla Northrup tipped a pass that turned into a scramble for the ball, with Wright and Northrup battling for it and passing to Humphrey, who called timeout.
Millsaps fouled Cleveland, who knocked down two free throws with 16.2 seconds to play, and Wright forced a jump ball on the other end, tying up Franklin in the lane, with 11.4 ticks on the clock. Millsaps head coach Justin LeBlanc drew a technical during the ensuing timeout and
Brianna Keating-Rendon made 1-of-2 on the tech and one more with 10.4 seconds to play, providing the final margin.
Cleveland grabbed a team-best nine rebounds to go with her 25 points while Wright finished with 11 points and seven assists. Sewanee made 10-of-23 from 3-point range, seven in the first half, but none bigger than Falvey's to help jump-start the game-winning run.
Franklin connected on 11-of-20 shots overall and 6-for-12 at the foul line for her 28 points and added eight boards. Freeman registered 16 points and Anderson tallied 14 off the bench.
The Tigers started hot from 3-point range, with Cleveland hitting the first shot of the game from behind the arc and
Zoe Sedo adding two more triples in the first six minutes. Wright and Falvey recorded baskets and Sedo's second three gave Sewanee a 13-8 edge.
Franklin netted six of the first eight points for Millsaps with a pair of field goals and two free throws. Keating-Rendon got into the 3-point act with two straight triples, stretching the advantage to 19-11 with two minutes left in the opening period. Anderson and Franklin each scored baskets for the Majors, cutting the Tigers lead to 19-15 after 10 minutes.
Falvey connected on two foul shots to start the second quarter before a 6-0 spurt by Millsaps knotted the game at 21, with Anderson, Warren and Franklin all collecting field goals. Northrup's layup ended the run and the teams traded baskets, including two by Freeman for a 28-25 Millsaps advantage midway through the period.
Cleveland's old-fashioned 3-point play tied the contest at 28 and the freshman made two consecutive triples late in the period. She added 1-of-2 foul shots in the final seconds for a 35-34 Sewanee edge at the break.
The Tigers shot 7-of-14 from behind the arc in the half and Cleveland was 3-for-4 and registered 13 points. Sedo and Keating-Rendon connected on a pair of triples as well but Falvey, Wright and Sedo missed the final five minutes of the half with three fouls.
Franklin led the Majors with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting and Freeman added nine points on 4-of-10.
