Memphis - After not competing for 12 days, Rhodes men's basketball fell to Blackburn College 87-78 in the opening day of their annual Holiday Classic. The loss moves the Lynx to 2-7 on the year while the Beavers are now 4-5 overall. 

A tight matchup for most of the game, Rhodes took a 12-6 lead until Blackburn scored three treys on three consecutive possessions to pull within one (16-15). The Lynx held a seven-point advantage with 2:29 left in the first half, but Blackburn closed out the half with seven unanswered points to tie the game 39-39 at halftime. 

A Daniel Darst layup gave the Lynx a brief lead until the Beavers scored eight straight points to lead 47-41. Rhodes took a one-point lead with 9:30 to play after a Bryce Berry three-pointer, but Blackburn took control of the game on yet another scoring streak, scoring five unanswered points. With 5:43 to go, Mac James netted two free throws to pull Rhodes within one but again the Beavers increased their lead after five straight points to hold on for good. 

Three-point shooting helped guide Blackburn to victory as the Beavers made 13-of-27 for 48.1% accuracy behind the arc. They also shot 52.6% in the field overall and 70% in free throws, sinking 14 of 20 attempts. Karson Hayes led the game with 26 points. 

Rhodes junior Preston Giroux recorded a Lynx-high 25 points, making 12-of-16 buckets. He also brought down eight boards and recorded four assists. The leading assister on the night was Mitch Weatherford who totaled eight in 14 and a half minutes on the court. Berry finished with 21 points after making half of his three-point attempts, finishing the game with three. Freshman Kevin Shen also scored double digits, totaling 12 points and recording three steals. 

Rhodes will host No. 3-ranked Augustana College on Tuesday at 3 p.m. to conclude action in the Holiday Classic.