Anderson, Freeman Lead Millsaps Women’s Basketball Past Southwestern in SAA Tournament
MT. BERRY, Ga. — Millsaps College women’s basketball team edged Southwestern University 77-69 Thursday in the first round of the Southern Athletic Association Championship at the Cage Center. The No. 3 seed Majors improved to 19-7 with the win.
Junior Tia Anderson led Millsaps with a career-high 35 points and added 11 rebounds for a double-double, according to team sources. She also contributed one steal and an assist, shooting 14-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Classmate Garin Freeman scored 28 points, matching her career best, with eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Freeman played all 40 minutes and shot 6-of-8 from free throws and 2-of-4 from three-point range.
The teams exchanged leads eight times and were tied on eight occasions during the game. Southwestern held a narrow lead entering the final quarter, but Millsaps rallied behind Anderson and Freeman to pull ahead late. Senior Elyse Warren added 10 rebounds, and sophomore Anaya Lewis scored seven points with three rebounds.
The game started with a three-pointer from Anderson on Millsaps’ first possession. Southwestern responded with a quick two-pointer and free throw to tie the score at 3-3. Early in the first quarter, Warren made a layup, and by the end of the period, Millsaps led 16-13.
In the second quarter, the Pirates took a brief 24-23 lead, but Anderson answered with a three-pointer. Freeman followed with a three-point play, giving the Majors a 29-28 advantage before halftime. The game remained close, with four ties and five lead changes through the first two quarters.
After halftime, Anderson and Freeman kept Millsaps competitive. Southwestern extended its lead to 54-47 in the third quarter, but the Majors responded with a late run, including Anderson and Freeman buckets, to trail 58-56 entering the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Southwestern built an eight-point lead, but Millsaps responded with an 8-0 run. Anderson hit a key three-pointer to put the Majors ahead 70-67 with 2:43 remaining. Freeman and Anderson then sealed the victory at the free-throw line, finishing with a 77-69 win.
Millsaps advances to the SAA semifinals to face No. 2 seed Centre College on Friday at 1 p.m. CT. Live video and stats will be available at gomajors.com. The team will look to continue its postseason run after this victory, which was highlighted by standout performances from Anderson and Freeman.
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