JACKSON, Miss. – After a dominant first half performance, the Centre women's basketball squad had to hang on late for a 53-46 victory against Millsaps inside the Hangar Dome Sunday afternoon.
 
The Colonels improve to 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Athletic Association, picking up their first conference win against last season's regular season champions. The host Majors slide to a similar 7-7 (1-2 SAA) record.  
 
Kat Wilson again paced the Colonels with 19 points, and also led the team with eight rebounds.
 
As a team, Centre hit a season-best 11 3-pointers, led by Wilson's five triples.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- The first quarter belonged to Wilson, who drained four 3-pointers to spark the Colonel offense.
- On the other end, Centre held Millsaps to just five points in the first 10 minutes on a 2-for-11 shooting mark.
- That stellar defense carried over to the second quarter, as the Colonels built a 10-point lead following 3-pointer from Payton Herold that made it 17-7.
- Centre would close the half on an 11-0 run, taking a 30-12 lead into the break while keeping the Majors off the board for the final six minutes of the second period.
- Millsaps connected on just three field goals in the first half while committing 11 turnovers against Centre's defense. Dia Fortenberry, the conference's leading scorer, managed only two points.
- In the third quarter, the Majors found their footing on offense and applied excellent pressure defensively, out-scoring the Colonels 18-5 to set up a manageable five-point deficit heading to the fourth.
- Millsaps pulled within two points early in the final period, but 3-pointers from Madison Marcum and Wilson helped push the lead back up to 43-35.
- With one minute left and the Majors back within 46-44, Centre forced a long 3-point attempt and grabbed the defensive rebound. Out of a timeout, Josie Thacker found Kylee Murray for a clutch 3-pointer.
- After Fortenberry hit a pair of free throws to make it 49-46, Abigail Wehby sank a couple of her own under pressure to push the lead back to five.
- The Majors coughed up the ball on the next possession, and Wehby dropped another set of freebies to seal the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Colonel defense held the Majors under 27% shooting and just 4-for-19 from beyond the arc.
- Bench points favored Centre 14-5, with Herold's five points leading the reserves.
- Millsaps led the battle for rebounds, 39-34. Wilson's eight boards matched her career high.
- Wehby finished with eight points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals.
 
UP NEXT
Centre returns home next weekend, beginning Friday, Jan. 10, against Berry. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET inside Alumni Gymnasium.