CLEVELAND, Ga. (November 14, 2023) – The Truett McConnell University men's basketball team hosted Appalachian Athletic Conference opponent Milligan University on Tuesday, where the Bears could not keep the pace to take down the Buffs, falling to a final score of 91-74. TMU now sits at an overall record of 2-3, 1-2 AAC, while the Buffs climb to a record of 2-1, 2-1 AAC.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Milligan hit the board first right from the start, but a shot in the paint by EJ Smith put the Bears in the game. A free throw from Smith, followed by a KJ Riley layup to steal the lead for TMU. The Buffs were not shaken as a strong run clinched the lead for the visiting team, but good free throws from Akil Covington and a shot in the paint by Cory Seitz kept the advantage in range. A second strong run by Milligan forced the Bears to work under pressure, while final efforts from Raul Arias-Ortega and CJ Brown chipped at the Buffs lead going into the half (37-51).
 
The second half saw the same speed for Milligan, while a layup by Riley and shot in the paint by Brown saw TMU resilient on the court. A hot streak by Arias-Ortega showed hope for the Bears, followed by an Anderson Mwasele shot in the paint and goof layup by Jadon Yeh. The Buffs did not back down as they recorded final back-to-back shots, ultimately resulting in a tough loss for the Bears with a final score of 74-91.
 
LEADERS
Arias-Ortega led the way for TMU with 14 points, along with going 8-8 at the free throw line, respectfully. Seitz led with 13 points, followed by Brown who tallied 12 points and Riley who tallied eight points.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will hit the road on Thursday, Nov. 16, where they will face AAC foe Columbia International University at 7:30 p.m.