Hawks Drop Opening Game Of The Millsaps Thanksgiving Classic To The Majors

JACKSON, Miss.- Returning to action following the Thanksgiving holiday, Huntingdon women's basketball(1-3 overall) fell to the former SAA champion and predicted 2025 champion, Millsaps College(5-1 overall) 84-68. The two teams were locked in a back-and-forth battle through three quarters before Millsaps pulled away in the fourth to take the victory at home.

First Quarter

• The opening minutes of the game were dictated by each team's defensive effort, with Briana McGruder's layup at the 6:55 mark tying the score at 2 just over three minutes into the period.
• Baskets from Deshauna Foote, Makayla Ford, and Briana Stuckey put the Hawks in front 9-8 entering the first media timeout
• With a Millsaps free throw evening everything up at 9 at the 4 minute mark, the two teams traded baskets as the quarter came to a close. Answering points from Kinstin Davis and Kennedy-Ryan Jackson, the Majors drained a shot from deep in the final 15 seconds to head into the second quarter holding on to a 20-18 lead.

Second Quarter

• Huntingdon opened the second quarter with possession of the ball and managed to even the score at 20 following a short jumper from Ashanti Thomas. Kinstin Davis followed with a layup on the next possession to give the Hawks a 22-20 lead, but another three-pointer from Millsaps put the Majors back in front 23-22 just outside of the opening minute of the quarter.
• Deshauna Foote cashed in on one of her two free throw attempts at the 2:20 mark, putting an end to a 10-0 run from Millsaps that spanned over the course of four and a half minutes, bringing the score to 33-23
• Trading baskets as the half drew to a finish, a late triple from Kinstin Davis made the halftime score 37-30 with Millsaps in control.

Third Quarter

• The Majors came out of the second half gates swinging, going on a 5-0 run in the opening 30 seconds. Back-to-back baskets from Ford and Stuckey stopped the bleeding and brought the deficit back within eight. 42-34 with 8:29 remaining in the quarter
• Millsaps continued to make the most of their shots from deep, utilizing the three-point shot to extend their lead to as much as 50-38 by the 5:40 mark
• Makayla Ford remained efficient on the offensive end, putting in consecutive layups to reduce the Majors lead to 50-43 with 3 and a half minutes remaining in the quarter
• Kinstin Davis put in her second triple of the game with 40 seconds remaining in the quarter to put the Hawks within striking range at 54-49, but another Millsaps three-pointer brought the score to 57-49 as the fourth quarter got underway.

Fourth Quarter

• Briana McGruder and Kennedy-Ryan Jackson opened the quarter with baskets to put Huntingdon down 57-52 with eight and a half minutes remaining, but the Majors managed to respond with a three pointer shortly after to push their lead back to 60-52
• Leading 62-57 with six and a half minutes remaining in the game, Millsaps pieced together a 9-0 run to take control of the game, holding a 71-57 advantage with 4:45 remaining.
• The Hawks continued to battle, seeing multiple shots fall through the net from the likes of Kinstin Davis, Dalyce Sanders, and Makayla Ford, but Millsaps late run would prove to be too much, as Huntingdon would fall 84-68.

Hawk Top Performers

• #4 Kinstin Davis- 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
• #35 Briana McGruder- 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
• #22 Dalyce Sanders- 8 points, 100% from the field and three

The Hawks look to bounce back tomorrow, December 1st, as they battle Hendrix in Jackson. Gametime is set for 1:00 PM CT.