SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Faith Humphrey and
Cydney Wright each netted 16 points and Sewanee cut a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to two in the final minute before dropping a 69-64 decision to Rhodes College in women's basketball action here Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (7-9, 0-3 SAA) trailed by seven at the half and pulled within 46-45 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Lynx (4-11, 2-1) stretched its lead back to 10 late in the period. A 9-2 spurt midway through the final quarter put the visitors in front, 66-52, with 3:25 to play.
Sewanee put together a 12-0 run over the next two-plus minutes, with freshman
Hannah Cleveland netting seven points during the stretch. She started the spurt with a runner in the lane, added another basket underneath and nailed a 3-pointer with 59.2 seconds on the clock, pulling the Tigers within, 66-64.
After an offensive foul on Rhodes, the home team was unable to capitalize, with
Olivia Falvey missing a contested layup. The Lynx made 3-of-6 at the foul line in the last 24.1 seconds, but it was enough to hold off Sewanee.
Cleveland finished with 13 points and Wright grabbed nine rebounds for the Tigers.
Avery Marsh led all scorers with 20 points for Rhodes, though Sewanee zeroed in on her in the second half, holding her to just six points in the final 20 minutes. Taylor Dupree posted 18 points and A'niya Legarde added 15 for the Lynx.
Rhodes started the game on fire from the field, making 7-of-11 shots in the first seven minutes of the game, including a pair of 3-pointers from Marsh and three baskets for Dupree. The Tigers stayed close thanks to triples by
Kayla Northrup and
Brianna Keating-Rendon and a field goal and one free throw from Wright. Sewanee struggled from 3-point range in the game, though, hitting only 5-of-26 overall.
Wright added an old-fashioned 3-point play late in the period, but Marsh answered with another three and a short jumper by Kelsey Willingham gave the Lynx a 22-16 advantage.
Sewanee went ice cold at the end of the opening period and the start of the second quarter, connecting on just 3-of-14 shots over an eight-minute stretch. Baskets by Lagarde and Giana Vlahakos pushed the Rhodes lead to 26-16, though layups from Humphrey and Wright made it a six-point game.
The Lynx netted the next eight points, though, with two baskets by Dupree, two foul shots from Lagarde and a layup by Mackenzie McKown, giving the visitors a 34-20 lead midway through the period.
The Tigers finally made some headway just before the half, scoring the final seven points.
Grace Gavin made a 3-pointer from the corner and Humphrey and Wright collected layups, but Sewanee missed two more chances in the final minute to cut into the deficit and trailed, 36-29, at the break.
Wright led the Tigers with 10 points and Marsh paced the Lynx with 14 points, including four triples, and Dupree added 10 points.
Four straight baskets by Dupree made the lead nine for Rhodes early in the third quarter. Humphrey collected a pair of field goals and Wright had one as well, keeping the Lynx from running away. Cleveland started an 8-0 spurt with a bucket and
Zoe Sedo posted a layup before two free throws and then a layup from Wright, reducing the deficit to one.
Lagarde and Willingham answered with baskets for Rhodes and Marsh hit another 3-pointer, her fifth of the game, before a Lagarde field goal ended a 9-0 run by the Lynx. Cleveland scored late in the period and Sewanee trailed by eight heading to the final quarter.
Humphrey's layup made it a seven-point contest before Rhodes netted seven consecutive points, including two free throws and an old-fashioned 3-point play by Lagarde.
Olivia Falvey collected two foul shots for the Tigers before Lagarde scored again with 3:25 remaining, setting up the final frantic minutes in the contest.
Sewanee hosts Hendrix College on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Tigers also play at home Sunday, January 26 against Millsaps College and Wednesday, Jan. 29 versus Centre College.
