The Rhodes College Lynx are back home in Mallory Gymnasium to take on the Hendrix College Warriors in their last regular season conference game. This season has been tough for both teams, as they are tied with a conference record of 3-10. Rhodes plans on winning this game so they can take the seventh seed, which will have them play Birmingham-Southern College in the first game of the Conference Tournament.
This game was all about the Lynx as they dominated Hendrix.
Jack Dempsey put the Lynx on the board with an easy layup, and the Warriors responded with a layup of their own. The score was 2-2 with 19 minutes and 16 seconds left in the first half, with another half waiting to be played. That was the last and only tie of the game, as the Lynx held the lead for the rest of the game. They began the half by going on a 12-2 run, holding the Warriors to 2 points for 7 minutes. After the Warriors scored their second basket, they finally woke up and started scoring more regularly, but it wasn't easy. The Lynx's defensive intensity was the best it has been all season as they were communicating their constant defensive scheme changes and flying all over the court. They held their opponent to 26 points, and when the Lynx do that, they almost never lose. The halftime score was 46-26, with the Lynx holding to a comfortable lead.
In the second half, even with a comfortable lead, Rhodes came out like they were down twenty. The only side of the ball they took their foot off the gas for was the offensive side. Defensively, everyone was on a mission, and it didn't matter whether they were a starter or coming off the bench. In this half, Hendrix was held to 23 points on 25% shooting from the field as they finished the game with 3 assists and 14 turnovers. Rhodes defeated Hendrix 78-49, with their leading scorers being
Phil Dotson with 20 points and
Shawn Jones Jr. with 10.