SAN ANTONIO – The Trinity women's basketball team (13-9, 9-2 SAA) lost a thriller today, falling 72-73 to Millsaps College (15-6, 6-4 SAA). A competitive game for all 40 minutes, the Majors avenged their earlier loss to the Tigers with a free throw to take the lead with just seconds on the clock.

Today's game was a showcase of two incredibly evenly matched teams, and it showed on the scoreboard and the final box score. Millsaps just outshot the Tigers, making 45% of their shots to Trinity's 43%. Both teams struggled from deep, as Trinity shot 25% from deep, and Millsaps shot 23%. Trinity took the slight edge in the rebounding column, grabbing 41 boards to Millsaps' 38.  The turnover margin was the deciding factor for Trinity in their win last time against Millsaps, but it was not to be in today's matchup, as both teams turned the ball over 15 times. The Majors were able to capitalize significantly on those Tiger mistakes, however, netting 22 points off turnovers to Trinity's 11.

The Tigers relied heavily on their main actors for scoring help today, with points coming from just six players, five of them in double-digits. Kylie Minter (League City, Texas / Clear Springs) led the charge with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 steals, matching her career high. Natalie Greenwood (Dallas, Texas / Byron Nelson) was dominant down low, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in just 16 minutes on 64% (7-11) shooting. Livy Sauvageau (Houston, Texas / Second Baptist) contributed 13 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals. Skye O'Rourke (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift) had 10 points, 6 rebounds (4 of them on the offensive glass) and 1 steal on 45% (5-11) shooting. Allison Even (Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic) recorded 10 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist on 50% shooting from the field (4-8) and from three (2-4). 

The Rundown
Right from tip off, these two teams were fighting tooth and nail for any separation on the scoreboard. Shots were falling for both sides, as they each shot over 55% from the field in the first quarter. After a series of early lead changes, the Tigers created their biggest lead of the quarter with 1:19 to play, up 22-17. Millsaps kept the home team at bay, however, and the lead got no larger, as the quarter ended with Trinity up 24-21.

It remained a battle in the second, as the Majors retook the lead early, capitalizing on the Tigers' shooting struggles to go up 27-26 with 8:42 to play. Trinity, who made just 1 of their first 7 shots, turned it on almost immediately, with a 9-0 run that created the first sense of one-sided momentum all game. With 4:32 to play in the half, an O'Rourke layup put the Tigers up 37-29. The rest of the period was relatively quiet, as neither team could find the bottom of the net, and Trinity was able to hold their lead heading into the break, 40-31.

Millsaps began to work its way back into the game in the third quarter, slowly working the lead back down before regaining the lead. Their big attack came in the form of a 14-4 run from 9:29 to 3:23, coming all the way back to take a 47-46 lead.  The Tigers were finally able to stop the momentum, taking the lead right back and holding it until the final minute of the quarter, but it was the Majors who got the period's last laugh, ending on a 6-0 run to take a 59-56 lead heading into the fourth.

The final quarter saw four lead changes and three ties as both teams jockeyed for positioning, but neither was willing to give an inch. The Tigers looked to be regaining momentum initially, opening the period on an 8-0 run thanks to two buckets inside by Greenwood to take a 64-59 lead with 6:44 to play, but Millsaps wasn't going down easy. They retook the lead with a 6-0 run of their own, finding themselves up 68-66 with 3:31 to go. It was a tit-for-tat battle, with both teams trading buckets, until the Majors tied the game at 72 apiece with 45 seconds to go. After a missed Trinity three, Millsaps got the ball back, and with just three seconds remaining, drove into the lane and drew a shooting foul before draining the game-winning free throw. The Tigers were unable to get a final shot up, and Millsaps snuck out of San Antonio with a 73-72 win.

Coach Speak
"New Edition doesn't get enough credit for the incredible contribution they have made to music," said Head Coach Cameron Hill. "Can You Stand The Rain is in my top five all time, one of those songs you never skip. Storms will come, this we know for sure.  But tell me, TOGETHER TIGERS, can you stand the rain? Recent history would suggest that they can. Happy Senior Day. ONWARD."

Looking Ahead
The Tigers, still atop the SAA standings, will play their final three conference games on the road, beginning with a Feb. 13 matchup at Oglethorpe University (13-8, 5-5 SAA), before taking on Berry College (13-8, 7-3 SAA) on Feb. 15.