MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Rhodes men's basketball team used a late surge and a 14 point second half performance by Patrick McGrail to defeat Howard Payne University 65-72 on Sunday in the third place game of the Crowne Plaza Christmas Classic.
 
The Lynx improve their record to 7-4 while the Yellow Jackets fall to 2-7 for the season.
 
Rhodes fell behind early and spent the first half trying to cut the deficit down. The Lynx, pulled within one in the opening two minutes off a McGrail three, to make the early count 6-5. Rhodes continued to hang close with the Yellow Jackets and a Matt Wagner three at the 13:30 mark brought the Lynx within five, with a score of 17-13.
 
The persistent Lynx continued to chip away at the Howard Payne lead as Ryan Van Hoeck's six point streak at the 8:05 mark, brought the Lynx within four by a score of 28-24.  Rhodes took its first lead of the second half with just 32 seconds to play after a Johnny Dunavant made three made the score 36-35. The Yellow Jackets had an answer, and Donovan Ford's three as time expired made the halftime count 38-36.
 
The leaders for Rhodes at the halftime break included Ryan Van Hoeck, who totaled 14 points. Geoff Livsey and Patrick McGrail each added six to the Lynx' total. Howard Payne had a balanced scoring attack in the first half, with Donovan Ford leading the way with nine points. Bryan Adams and Brandon Gould each added eight a piece.
 
The first half shooting percentages were very close as well, with Rhodes shooting 43.5 percent from the field compared to the Yellow Jackets 44.8 percent. The Lynx outshot their opponent from beyond the three point arc, putting up 45.5 percent to Howard Payne's 33.3 percent.
 
Howard Payne opened the second half the way it ended the first, with a Ford three to extend its lead to 41-36. Rhodes continued to work to decrease its deficit, and pulled within one, 47-46, with 12:42 to play after a pair of Wagner free throws. Two minutes later the Lynx grabbed the 51-50 lead after a Geoff Livsey three point basket. Michael Gallagher buried a trey ball to give the Lynx a 57-53 lead with 7:23 left to play as Rhodes worked to extend its advantage, a lead the Lynx would not relinquish.
 
HPU pulled to within one after a pair of Ford free throws, at 61-60, but a pair of McGrail threes at the 3:05 and 2:19 mark gave Rhodes a seven point lead and the cushion they needed to close out the contest. The Lynx withheld the fouling efforts of the Jackets and held on for the 72-65 win.
 
Rhodes was led in scoring by McGrail, who's 20 point performance was a game high. McGrail shot an outstanding 6-7 from beyond the arc, and 7-8 from the field a percentage of 87.5 percent. Van Hoeck also added 17 points for the Lynx, with five rebounds and two blocks. Geoff Livsey added 11 points to Rhodes' total to go with seven rebounds.
 
Howard Payne's scoring leaders included Ford, who totaled 20 points, Brandon Gould with 13 points and Bryan Adams who added 10.
 
The Lynx held the Yellow Jackets to shooting 25.o percent from the field in the second half for a game total of 35.1 percent. HPU put up 35.3 percent from beyond the arc in the contest.
 
Rhodes shot 43.2 percent from the field in the game, with an impressive 60.0 percent from beyond the arc in the second half, shooting 6-10 from three point land.
 
The Lynx return to action in the new year when they host Centenary College on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.