JACKSON, Miss. – The Rhodes women's basketball team couldn't hold off the Majors in Southern Athletic Association play on Sunday, falling to Millsaps College 70-63.
 
The Lynx move to 13-6 on the season and 4-4 in conference play, while the Majors improve to 16-3 and 8-0 in league action.
 
The first half was a close, offensive battle. After Millsaps established a lead to begin play, Rhodes narrowed the gap to 10-9 with a Sarah Johnson and-one bucket and free throw at the 14:39 mark. After the Majors worked out to another lead, the Lynx fought back to close the gap, again to just one, with a pair of layups from Symone Daniels, making the count 19-18 with 6:56 to play.
 
Kim Klunk hit a layup to give the Majors a 28-23 lead heading down the stretch. Head Coach Matt Dean's squad rode a 7-0 run to close the half, capped by a Madison Butler three in the waning seconds to spark the Lynx and give Rhodes their first lead heading into the half, 30-28.
 
At the break, the Lynx were led by Daniels who netted 14 points and five rebounds at the midway mark. Natalie Goodrum tallied six points, with Johnson adding five. Rhodes shot 41.7 percent from the field and 41.7 from beyond the arc. The Majors scoring efforts were led by Velvet Johnson who scored 10 points. Millsaps fired 48.0 percent from the field and a hot 57.1 percent from three point range.
 
In the second half, the Lynx built on their lead, with a Blaire Smith three to open the half, giving Rhodes a 33-28 advantage. The Rhodes lead swelled to 13 after a Daniels trey and a Dy'Nelle Todman jumper to post a score of 41-28 with 16:24 to play.
 
The Majors mounted an 11-2 run to cut the Lynx lead to four by the 12:38 mark at 43-39. The Rhodes offense continued to churn, and by the 7:14 mark had extended their lead to 54-46 after a Todman three.
 
The relentless league-leaders weren't ready to give up on their home floor, and charged back on a 12-3 run to regain the lead at 59-57 with 2:49 to play. With a Johnson three, the Millsaps lead grew to 64-59 with one minute to play in the contest. The Majors lead proved too much for Rhodes to overcome, as the Lynx fell 70-63.
 
Daniels finished with 19 points, with Goodrum notching 12 and Johnson working into double digits at 10. Johnson also dished out nine assists and snagged six rebounds in the outing. The Lynx shot 39.3 percent in the contest, and 42.9 from beyond the arc.
 
Millsaps was led by Johnson who netted 26 points. Miah Brooks notched 16 points, with Beverly Holmes adding 14 points. The Majors shot 52.1 percent from the floor and 58.3 percent from deep.
 
Rhodes will be back on the hardwood on Feb. 6 when they travel to Danville, Ky. to take on Centre College at 6 p.m.