SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Hannah Cleveland posted 21 points and
Olivia Falvey finished with a double-double, but Rhodes College started the second half with a 17-0 run, pulling away down the stretch in an 81-68 victory over Sewanee in women's basketball action here Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (7-6, 0-2 SAA) led for almost every second of the first half, shooting nearly 50 percent and putting together an 11-2 run after the Lynx took a one-point lead with just under four minutes to play in the second period. Sewanee made only 7-of-29 (.241) shots in the final 20 minutes, including the first nine attempts in the third quarter, and Rhodes took advantage.
Mackenzie McKown made a layup and a 3-pointer to start the period and Alyssa Bongiovanni added a triple before a basket from Kelsey Willingham and then two 3-pointers by Avery Marsh. Willingham scored another basket and AC Milam ended the run with two free throws for a 54-42 Lynx advantage.
Cleveland's basket at the 4:25 mark ended the spurt, but the Tigers netted only six points and two field goals in the third period.
Falvey's one free throw and a layup from
Micha Lovelace pulled Sewanee within, 59-51, in the first minute of the fourth quarter, but that was as close as the Tigers would get. Willingham completed an old-fashioned 3-point play that started a 13-4 stretch, including another triple by Marsh.
Cleveland posted 10 of her 21 points in the final period, hitting 6-of-8 at the foul line. Falvey collected 15 points and 10 rebounds while
Janie Boyd added 16 points before fouling out.
Marsh led four Rhodes players in double figures with 19 points along with eight assists and Willingham registered 17 points and 12 boards. Bongiovanni scored 15 points and Milam netted 14.
Falvey made a 3-pointer in the first two minutes and Boyd added a pair of field goals before a triple from
Brianna Keating-Rendon put the Tigers in front, 11-7.
Eliza Everett's putback and a three from the corner by Boyd kept Sewanee in the lead, 18-15.
Grace Gavin banked in a 3-pointer and Cleveland netted two free throws for a 23-17 advantage after one period.
Baskets by Everett and Cleveland stretched the lead to 28-19 less than two minutes into the second quarter. The Lynx netted the next six points with two layups by Willingham and two foul shots from Marsh.
Boyd's second triple of the half ended the mini-run but Rhodes kept coming, with Marsh and Bongiovanni each netting baskets before a three from Marsh completed a 13-3 spurt by the visitors for a 32-31 edge. Sewanee answered with its own 11-2 run behind a jumper from Cleveland and two buckets by Boyd.
Falvey scored on a layup and then drilled a 3-pointer on the break. The Tigers had a chance to stretch the lead further but a turnover in the final minute led to a triple by Annabelle Tobin for the Lynx and Sewanee posted a 42-37 edge at intermission.
Sewanee hosts Millsaps College this Sunday at Noon, the final contest in a five-game homestand that included starting conference play.
