MEMPHIS, Tenn.- Facing a team they hadn't beaten since 2008, the Rhodes Lynx came up big against Birmingham Southern College on Saturday, beating the Panthers 20-10 at Crain Field.

With scoring at a premium, Rhodes (6-2, 3-1 Southern Athletic Association), made a number of important first-half stops that contributed to their 11-point halftime lead. Up against a first-and-goal situation from the nine-yard-line on BSC's second drive of the game, the Lynx defense held the Panthers in check on three consecutive plays, limiting BSC (3-6, 3-2 SAA) to just three points on a 27-yard field goal by Hagen Mancuso.

Two drives later, with BSC backed up at their own five-yard-line, Justin Toliver forced Panthers running back Joe Moultrie to fumble at the line of scrimmage, and the ball squirted into the endzone, recovered by defensive tackle Tyler Cummings for a Lynx touchdown. It was Rhodes' second end-zone fumble recovery of the season, and Tucker Nichols' extra-point gave the Lynx a 7-3 advantage. The Lynx got on the board again early in the second quarter with a five-yard rushing touchdown from Roc Sherrell to push the Lynx advantage out to 14-3.

Roc Sherrell carried eight times for 55 yards and a score in the first half, out-dueling his Panthers counterpart Moultrie (13 carries, 31 yards, 0 TDs). Joseph Raby recorded seven first-half tackles, including two for loss, as the Lynx held BSC to just seven first downs before the break.

On their third possession of the second half, the Lynx found the end zone again, this time courtesy of a five-yard dash from Kevin Vieira. The extra point attempt bounced off the right upright, but 20 points would be all the scoring the Lynx needed in the 20-10 victory.

The defense was stout throughout the contest, avenging the five-year drought. The Rhodes defensive unit was resilient, recording another red-zone fumble recovery in the second half, thwarted a BSC fake punt near midfield, and an interception in the end zone by Justin Toliver on BSC's final drive, for his fourth pick of the season.

Blake Box finished 10-for-19 with 99 yards passing and no interceptions. The Sherrell-Vieira backfield tandem combined for 106 yards rushing and two touchdowns, as the Lynx won the turnover battle, three to zero. Michael Shield led the Lynx defense with 12 tackles, including seven solo and 1.5 tackles for loss. Matt Ellis and Max Keeton each broke up three passes, with Keeton wrapping up 10 tackles on the day. The Rhodes' defensive secondary only allowed one pass play longer than 25 yards.

The Lynx will take on Hendrix next Saturday, Nov. 7, at Crain Field in the season's final home game.