MEMPHIS - The top-seeded Rhodes College men's basketball team pulled away from their arch rivals, the Sewanee Tigers, to punch their ticket to the 2017 Southern Athletic Association Championship on Sunday afternoon at Mallory Gymnasium.

The Lynx will take on the No. 3 seeded Birmingham-Southern Panthers, who defeated No. 2 Centre in the nightcap by the score of 77-71. The teams tip off at 2 PM in Mallory Gym with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

Rhodes shots 49% from the field and 33% from downtown. They were 22 of 31 from the free throw line. Rhodes forced 29 Tiger turnovers while only turning it over 12 times. Rhodes got 51 points from the bench and 31 points off turnovers. 

After Sewanee took an early 5-2 lead, Rhodes went on a 14-0 run thanks in part to six points from sophomore Daniel Darst and buckets from senior Andrew Lowrie, juniors Anesu Nyawata and Price Dalton, and freshman Mitch Weatherford.

The Tigers pulled it to within six, but Rhodes began to heat up from the field as the Lynx attacked the basket throughout the half, finding easy layups and forcing Sewanee into turnovers all afternoon.

Behind 12 points from Nyawata and six points from Weatherford and senior Tyler Gee, Rhodes took a 46-35 lead into the break.

In the second half, Sewanee looked to cut into the deficit and give themselves a chance to make their second straight conference championship game, but Gee was unstoppable, going a perfect 6 of 6 from the field for 15 points including a 3-pointer.

Sewanee threatened, getting inside 10 on a few occasions in the second half, but Rhodes always had an answer as they closed the game on a 12-2 run to close out the game and move into Sunday's final with the 98-81 victory.

Gee finished with 21 points and a pair of steals to lead the way offensively while Nyawata had 17 points and a pair of steals and blocks. Darst scored nine to go with two steals while Weatherford had nine points and four assists. Freshman Bryce Berry added eight points, three assists, and three steals. Junior Ian Harrison added a pair of blocks.

Rhodes moves to 16-10 overall and will look to cap their remarkable season with their first ever tournament title and their first appearance in the NCAA Championships since 1993. The Lynx and Panthers square off at 2 PM in Mallory Gymnasium.