JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps women's basketball team fought back against Oglethorpe University but fell short, 59-53 in a closely contested matchup on Senior Day inside the Hangar Dome on Saturday.
The Majors also recognized four seniors, Lexus Keyes, Maddy Maw, Rachel Pflum, and Elyse Warren, for their significant contributions on the basketball court during their time at Millsaps.
Millsaps (18-7, 9-5 SAA) led, 10-4 in points-off turnovers while outscoring Oglethorpe (17-8, 9-5 SAA), 10-8 in bench points.
The Stormy Petrels secured a 38-28 advantage from inside the paint as both teams played excellent defensively. Millsaps was held to 26.9 percent (18-for-67), while Oglethorpe shot 37.5 percent (24-for-64).
Junior Garin Freeman scored 19 points and recorded seven assists, contributing significantly to Millsaps' offensive efforts.
Warren dominated the boards with 18 rebounds and added 11 points. It was the Memphis, Tennessee native's 21st double-double of the season.
Junior Tia Anderson tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and collected two steals.
Classmate Bailey Johnson added eight points and recorded two steals, providing a solid defensive presence.
The Majors opened the first quarter strong, establishing a rhythm with effective offensive plays.
Warren led the charge with multiple successful layups, including one at the 5:35 mark that put Millsaps ahead.
Freeman contributed a layup later with 1:34 left in the opening quarter, further extending the lead.
The Majors' defense was also instrumental, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on Oglethorpe's miscues. The Stormy Petrels were forced into 12 turnovers as the Majors grabbed eight steals.
By the end of the quarter, Millsaps maintained a 17-10 lead. The Majors maintained a strong presence in the second quarter, initiated by Anderson's three-pointer, assisted by Freeman, at 9:40.
The Little Rock, Ark., native played a pivotal role with a mix of scoring and assisting, including a layup with 3:18 until intermission, which extended the Majors' largest lead of the game at 30-19.
Oglethorpe attempted to close the gap with points in the paint before Freeman's jumper with seven seconds left ensured the Majors held a 32-27 advantage heading into halftime.
The visitors battled back and grabbed a five-point advantage before the Majors regained momentum late in the third quarter. A Freeman layup and subsequent successful free throw with 1:49 left in the third tied the score, and put Millsaps ahead, 41-40.
Despite a late layup from the Petrels, Freeman sank a free throw with seven seconds left, forcing a 42-42 tie with Oglethorpe continuing to fight back.
In the fourth quarter, the Stormy Petrels rushed out with an 11-0 run to grab control. Freeman scored two layups, and Anderson, who added points from the free-throw line and a layup, pushed the deficit down to 55-50 with 2:20 remaining.
Oglethorpe followed by controlling the possession for the next minute with three offensive rebounds and icing clock away.
The teams traded free throws, but it was too little, too late for the Majors as the game ended with Millsaps falling, 59-53.
The Majors will be back in action as the No. 3 seed in the 2026 SAA Women's Basketball Championship. They will face the No. 6 seed Southwestern University on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m. CT in Mount Berry, Ga. Berry College will play host, and live video and live stats will be provided 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.
