JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps College women's basketball team edged Belhaven, 85-81, in a thrilling overtime contest at Charles R. Rugg Arena. It was the teams' second extra-time contest of the season as Millsaps capitalized on turnovers, converting 21 points from 16 Belhaven giveaways.

Millsaps (6-2) also dominated in the second-chance point category (20-10). Belhaven (5-1) matched the intensity, leading to 11 ties and seven lead changes, but Millsaps secured the win with a strong 16-point overtime performance. The Blazers were also held to 21.4 percent from beyond the arch (3-of-14).

Junior Garin Freeman scored 22 points and recorded six assists, while also making four steals and three assists. Senior Lexus Keyes added 15 points, three assists and collected eight rebounds.

Sophore Anaya Lewis tallied a career-high 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Junior Tia Anderson finished with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, including eight field goals.

Millsaps started the first quarter with strategic ball movement and defensive pressure. The team continued to capitalize leading to a 10-2 run capped by an Ashlyn Hafley 3-pointer. Millsaps maintained control throughout the quarter, closing with a 15-9 lead over Belhaven.

Millsaps gained momentum with a series of key plays in the second quarter, highlighted by an Anderson 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining, extending the lead to seven points. Despite Belhaven's efforts to close the gap, Millsaps maintained a steady performance, leading 35–30 at the end of the quarter.

In the third quarter, Millsaps found momentum with an Elyse Warren's fast-break layup at 6:46, assisted by Freeman, extending their lead. Warren finished with six points, 12 rebounds and three steals.

Despite shooting struggles, Millsaps capitalized on free throws, with Keyes converting two at 2:37 left in the third to maintain an edge. Freeman further contributed with a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left, keeping Millsaps ahead. The quarter concluded with Millsaps narrowly leading 45-43.

Despite a tight back-and-forth battle in the fourth quarter, neither team could pull away decisively. Belhaven held a 56-53 advantage midway through the fourth before Anderson sank a tip-in and drained a trey moments later.

The Blazers found resurgence as the hosts burst ahead, 63-58 with 2:53 remaining.

Millsaps and Belhaven exchanged leads five times throughout the heart-pounding quarter. Freeman and Warren provided layups before Hafley again scored from beyond the arch, tying it at 65-65.

The teams traded 2-pointers in the closing moments with Freeman converting a layup with 54 seconds left and Lewis polishing off a tip-in layup with three seconds left to send the game into overtime.

In the overtime session, Millsaps edged ahead with a crucial tip-in by Anderson with 3:49 on the clock, giving the team a 71-70 lead. Lewis extended the advantage with a layup, assisted by Keyes, making it 73-70 on the next possession.

Belhaven responded, tying the game multiple times, but Millsaps maintained their composure. With the score tied at 79-79, Freeman connected on a layup with 16 seconds left to recapture the lead.

Following a turnover and critical steal by Lewis, Keyes sank two free throws, and Freeman added two more, securing a thrilling 85-81 victory for Millsaps.

The Majors will return to action in a reserve game, hosting Southeastern Baptist on Thursday, Dec. 11. Opening tip is set for 6 p.m. with live video and live stats available at gomajors.com.


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Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.