Soles Highland Cavaliers Upset Buffaloes in AAC Men’s Tourney

February 28, 2008
BOXSCORE

Bristol, Tenn. – Leading 33-29 at the half, UVa-Wise doubled the Milligan College output in the opening five minutes of the second to open a 15-point lead and were challenged the rest of the way to record the first Appalachian Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament upset of the week, 74-62.

Jarred Soles (Yorktown, Va.) had six points in the key five minute streak and paced the Highland Cavaliers (14-17) with 16 points on the day. Pance Kecev (Nickelsville, Va.) down three triples for nine tallies. Aaron Meacham (Woodbridge, Va.) and Justin Sorensen (Suffolk, Va.) both added eight points off the bench.

UVa-Wise held Milligan (20-10) to just 29.7% from the floor (19 of 64) including three of 16 from long-range. The Cavs made 11 of 24 tries in the second half.

Milligan received a double-double by Jeff Barnes of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Davis Warner contributed 11 points.

UVa-Wise led by as many as seven points twice in the first half. The second occasion, 22-15, saw the Buffs go on a 10-2 run to edge in front, 26-25. The Cavs bounced right back to win the final three minutes for the 33-29 intermission score.

Seth Gibson (Wytheville, Va.) and Daniel Adams (Floyd, Va.) made the second half’s first two buckets before Soles made a jumper and three-pointer four minutes later to help UVa-Wise outscore Milligan 16-7 in the first five minutes for a 49-36 advantage. The Buffs were able to get no closer than 12 points over the final 13 minutes to be upset 74-62.

UVa-Wise moves on to face second seed Bluefield College on Friday afternoon in a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.