SEWANEE, Tenn. — The Millsaps College women's basketball team fell to Sewanee, 71–67 in a tense conference matchup on Sunday at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Majors led briefly in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 13-8, but were unable to hold on as Sewanee exceeded outscored in guests final quarter.
Millsaps (10-4, 1-2 SAA) hit a dozen 3-pointers and forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 24 points, but Sewanee's (8-6, 1-2 SAA) bench contributed 19 points to secure the win.
Senior Elyse Warren recorded a double-double with 19 points and 17 rebounds, displaying her effectiveness on both ends of the court.
Junior Bailey Johnson recorded a career-high 18 points while adding three rebounds and one assist.
Classmate Tia Anderson scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out two assists. She also made three-pointers from beyond the arc against the Tigers.
Junior Garin Freeman contributed to the team with 10 assists, eight points, and four steals, highlighting her playmaking and defensive capabilities.
In the beginning of the first quarter, both teams traded points back and forth. Sewanee soon took a 14-10 lead after hitting back-to-back three-pointers with 4:51 minutes to go.
Warren's jumper and prior made free throw soon cut the Majors' deficit to one point, 14-13.
The Tigers responded with a three-pointer and a driving layup, extending their lead to 19-13 with 2:35 remaining in the first quarter.
Millsaps closed the quarter with Anderson's buzzer-beating three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 24-19 as the quarter ended.
In the second quarter, Freeman helped the Majors by making both of her free throws, narrowing the gap to three points with 6:39 remaining on the clock.
Freeman returned to the charity stripe and made both free throws, giving the Majors their final two points of the first half as they looked to mount a comeback, trailing 47-42 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Johnson retaliated against her opponents by sinking a three-pointer, assisted by Freeman. Anderson then made a free throw, giving the Majors a 49-48 lead with 4:16 remaining in the frame.
Both teams continued exchanging points as Mya Richardson banked in a three-pointer from beyond the arc, tying the game back up for the Majors at 55-55 to end the third quarter.
In the final quarter, the Tigers opened on an 8-1 run to regain the advantage.
Johnson made a three-point shot to keep the Majors' spirits high as they trailed by four points with 5:28 remaining.
Left wide open, Johnson maintained her strong performance by knocking down three-pointers at both 2:51 and 0:42 left on the clock, pulling the Majors within two points.
However, a turnover and foul by the Majors sent the Tigers to the free-throw line in the final seconds. Sewanee sank a pair of free throws to defeat the Majors, 71–67 on Sunday.
The Majors will be back in action on Friday, facing off against Southwestern University at home, with a 5:30 p.m. start. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College women's basketball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and visit gomajors.com.
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.
