MEMPHIS - Despite a career high 18 points from freshman Kaelee Overfield, the Rhodes College women's basketball team fell just short to Austin College by the score of 72-61 on Thursday evening at Mallory Gymnasium.

Rhodes shot 30% from the field, but connected on 10 3-pointers while going 11 of 16 from the free throw line. They Lynx held Austin Collge to 31 points in the second half with most points coming late in the fourth quarter. The 'Roos shot 42% from the field and also connected on 10 3-pointers while forcing 18 turnovers and out rebound Rhodes, 48-44.

Baskets from seniors Bailey Kramer and Blaire Smith gave Rhodes a 4-2 lead, but Austin College was able to use three straight 3-pointers from Olivia Cicci to go ahead 18-9. Rhodes got a three from sophomore Sarah Giesen before the end of the quarter to make it an 18-12 game going into the second.

Rhodes cut it down to five on 3-pointers from Giesen and junior Erin Deery, but an 8-0 run from the 'Roos made it a 33-20 game midway through the second half. Austin maintained a 13 point lead for most of the quarter, but Rhodes countered with a three from Overfield and back-to-back baskets from sophomore Allie Young, including one at the buzzer, to make it a 41-33 game at the half.

In the third, Austin College took a 48-36 lead, but Rhodes, but a 9-1 run behind eight points from Overfield cut the deficit all the way down to four with 1:22 to play in the third. The 'Roos extended their lead out to eight, but a 6-0 run going into the fourth quarter got the game down to two.

A young unit of Overfield, Young, sophomore Danielle Summers, and freshmen Ashley Foret and Anna Mueller sparked the Lynx off the bench and brought them back into the game, trading blow for blow with the 'Roos throughout the fourth and locking down on defense.

Austin College kept answering to push the lead back to four, but Rhodes would respond to keep the game at two. A Deery 3-pointer with 3:01 to play made it 63-61 'Roos in crunch time.

However, that would be the final point Rhodes would score as Austin College closed the game on a 9-0 run to pull away for the 11 point win.

Overfield connected on four 3-pointers on the evening and was a perfect 4 of 4 at the free throw line. Deery and Young each added 10 points with Deery hitting three 3-pointers and Young pulling down nine boards. Summer had six assists while Smith had five. Muller finished with two blocks.

Ann Savage and Kendall Heitmeier led the 'Roos with 13 points each while Bryce Frank finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. 

Rhodes moves to 1-6 on the year and will look to bounce back at home on Saturday afternoon as they take on Otterbein at 12 PM.