MILLIGAN, TENN. - CIU jumped out to an early lead, but the Rams couldn't hold off Milligan, falling 89-63 on the road Saturday afternoon. With the loss, CIU moves to 15-4 overall and 10-4 in conference play. 

The Rams found themselves in a back-and-forth battle early as the lead changed hands multiple times in the first half. A layup from Jeffrey Clark, II (14:02) gave CIU a slight edge, and from there, the Rams began to build momentum, stretching their lead to as much as seven. However, Milligan responded with a dominant 14-0 run, reclaiming control of the contest. CIU fought to stay within reach, with free throws and a Christian Howard layup chipping away at the deficit, but the Rams still trailed 44-29 at the break.

Will Kelly knocked down a three-pointer early in the second half (18:45) to cut the gap to 10, but the Buffs had an answer, extending their lead to 25 before Reid Warga connected from deep (67-45, 10:56). The Rams pushed until the final whistle, tacking on 16 points in the last seven minutes, but the deficit proved too large as CIU fell 89-63 on the road.

Howard led the Rams with 20 points, while Johnny Whysong and Warga also reached double figures with 13 and 12, respectively. Rebounding was a challenge, as Milligan held a 35-25 advantage on the glass.

Up Next: CIU takes on Montreat College (N.C.) on their home court, Wednesday, Feb. 5th at 7:30 p.m. EST.