MT. BERRY, Ga. — The Millsaps College women's basketball team secured a 67-58 triumph over Centre College in the 2026 SAA Women's Basketball Championship Semifinal on Friday inside the Cage Center.
Centre (19-6) outscored the Majors 23-9 in bench points while holding their opponents 11-6 in points off turnovers.
Millsaps (19-7) posted a 46-43 rebounding edge and scored 30 points in the paint to lead its offensive efforts.
Junior Garin Freeman scored 19 points and recorded six assists and six rebounds while contributing seven made free throws in a dominant win against the Colonels.
Senior Elyse Warren matched Freeman's scoring output with 19 points and dominated the boards with 21 rebounds. Warren also shot 6-of-9 from field goal range.
Junior Bailey Johnson added 12 points, all from beyond the arc, converting four of eight 3-point attempts.
Classmate Tia Anderson boasted eight points, six rebounds, and two steals in an impressive game.
In the opening of the first quarter, Warren's layup and Johnson's three-pointer moved the Majors ahead on a 5-2 lead.
As the first quarter continued, both teams traded points, with Centre bringing the contest to a 6-6 tie after making a pair of jumpers and a layup.
With 4:34 minutes remaining, the Colonels saw their first lead on the day by one point before Warren's free throw would tie the game at 10-10.
Both teams continued to trade points as Freeman's euro step drive to the basket increased the Majors' margin to 12–10.
With one minute remaining in the first quarter, Centre made a three-point shot to answer back to take the lead over Millsaps, 18-14.
In the second quarter, the Colonels furthered their advantage by eight points before the Majors called a timeout.
Moments later, junior Mya Richardson's 3-pointer, along with Warren's layup and free throw, cut the score to 23-21 as Millsaps crawled back into the game.
Shortly after, Freeman's layup tied the game at 23-23 with 5:20 minutes on the clock.
Left open beyond the arc, Johnson answered with a long shot to put the Majors back ahead by three.
Freeman finished the second quarter with a pair of jumpers, extending the Majors' lead, 30-25, going into halftime.
In the third quarter, Millsaps continued to put pressure on the Colonels, with Freeman and Warren working together to maintain control, guiding the Majors past the Colonels, 34-27.
With 6:39 minutes left, the Colonels cut their deficit down by four with a 3-point shot.
Centre would find their way into trouble as Freeman boasted two free throws, and Anderson scored a jumper to help their teammates pull ahead, 41-35 with a dominate performance.
Johnson responded with a three-pointer as Millsaps continued to outscore the Colonels, making the score 48-40.
Both teams entered the final quarter with Millsaps leading 51-46. The Colonels found themselves back in the game with two pairs of jump shots, trailing by one point.
Both teams kept exchanging points, as Millsaps played hard. Johnson, stationed in the corner, caught a pass from Freeman and sank a three-pointer, extending the Majors' lead to 64-57 with 50 seconds remaining.
On a hot streak, Warren scored the last point for the Majors from the free-throw line.
Millsaps then dribbled the ball out to run down the clock in the final seconds as they celebrated their 67-58 victory over the Colonels, securing their spot in the 2026 SAA Women's Basketball Championship Game on Saturday.
The Majors will next face No. 1 seed Trinity University in the 2026 SAA Women's Basketball Championship, beginning at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday in Mount Berry, Ga. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College women's basketball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.