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Emily Sims vs. UST 11-20-21
40
St. Thomas (TX) UST-TX 1-4,0-0 SCAC
43
Winner Millsaps Mill 2-3,0-0 SAA
St. Thomas (TX) UST-TX
1-4,0-0 SCAC
40
Final
43
Millsaps Mill
2-3,0-0 SAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
St. Thomas (TX) UST-TX 10 5 13 12 40
Millsaps Mill 3 15 10 15 43

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Millsaps College Office of Athletic Communications

No. 25 Women’s Basketball Prevails in Day One of Millsaps Classic

Senior Andrea Rayford Led All Scorers with 14 Points on Saturday

JACKSON, Miss – The 25th ranked Millsaps women's basketball team won their second consecutive game thanks in large part to senior forward Andrea Rayford, who matched her career-high 14 points in 43-40 victory over the University of St. Thomas (Texas). The Majors smothered the Celts by holding them to 22.8 percent from the field in the Millsaps Classic inside the Hangar Dome on Saturday.

Freshman forward Whitney Novak stepped up tremendously and led Millsaps in numerous categories with six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Both teams struggled early to find a rhythm offensively. Millsaps (2-3) shot 28 percent while the Celts were held to only 17.9 percent in the first half.

St. Thomas (1-2) raced out to a 10-3 lead in the first quarter. Millsaps would respond with a strong second quarter, including an 8-0 run to start. The burst would help Millsaps gain an 18-15 advantage going into the intermission.

The Majors continued their strong play into the third quarter when junior guard Briasha King put back her own missed layup, helping push their lead to 26-17 ahead of the media timeout.

Following the timeout, the Celts battled back into the game with an 11-0 surge to help bring the game to a 28-28 tie going into the fourth.

Junior forward Devan Caldwell knocked down a layup to open up the quarter but St. Thomas responded with a swift 8-2 flurry. Back-to-back buckets by freshman guard Shelby Lundy would knot the game up at 36-36 with 4:14 remaining.

With the score tied at 38-38 with 42 seconds remaining, head coach Justin Leblanc called timeout. Out of the break, Caldwell found Rayford in the paint for a two-point basket.

Now leading 40-38, Millsaps would come up with a huge stop when Rayford rejected a shot from their opponent. After missing a pair of free throws, junior guard Emily Sims would then be fouled and split her shots at the stripe to give the Majors a three-point lead with 12 seconds remaining.

With a chance to send the game into overtime, a three-point shooting foul was called on Millsaps, sending St. Thomas to the free throw line. The Celts' guard missed the first shot but made her next two. With the Majors up by a point, Rayford nailed a pair of free throws with three seconds left. With no timeouts left, St. Thomas' half court heave at the buzzer would be blocked by Caldwell to preserve the Majors victory.

Millsaps will be in action again on Sunday for their second and final game of the Millsaps Classic inside the Hangar Dome. They will face MUW with tip off scheduled for 1 p.m. Live video and stats links are available on the women's basketball schedule page at gomajors.com.


To keep up to date with everything surrounding the women's basketball programs follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
 
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