'Roos Use Hot Shooting to Power Past Rhodes

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College women's basketball team shot 52.4% from the field and 47.1% from three-point range on their way to an 81-57 victory over visiting Rhodes College on Saturday afternoon in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos have now won four in a row to improve to 6-4 on the year.

Austin College got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before Rhodes countered with four quick points of their own. However, the 'Roos would utilize a 12-2 run to close out the first quarter with a 19-6 lead, as the Lynx shot just 18.8% from the field in the opening frame. 

An Ann Savage three and a three-point play by Bryce Frank made it 25-11 early in the second, and the lead grew to 35-17 on a jumper by Caitlyn Collins with 4:04 left before halftime. Rhodes would close the quarter with four points to narrow the margin to 39-23 heading into the locker room. 

Meghan Lewis buried two triples to open up the third quarter as Austin College pushed the lead to 45-25, and another trey from Savage made it 48-27 with 8:33 left in the period. Erin Deery hit a three and Jessie Ustick knocked down a jumper as Rhodes chipped away at the deficit, making it 51-38 with 4:13 left in the third. Kacie West scored four quick points, Kendra Rainey added a bucket, and Reagan Chiaverini beat the buzzer to get the lead back up to 61-43 heading into the fourth. 

The Lynx narrowed the gap to 14 at 65-51 before a trey from Ann Savage ignited an 11-0 run that gave Austin College a 76-51 lead with 3:56 to play, and that would put the game well out of reach for the 'Roos.

Savage led all scorers with 16 points, knocking down 4-of-5 three pointers and adding three assists, while Frank flirted with a triple-double, scoring 15 points, grabbing 11 boards, and handing out 11 assists. West came off the bench to chip in 10 points in a balanced scoring effort, with 11 different Austin College players finding their way into the scoring column. 

Ustick had 13 points for Rhodes, and Lindsey Whiteside had 13 points and six assists to pace the Lynx. Allie Young had 12 points and Alyssa Owens scored 10 for Rhodes. 

Austin College is off until December 28, when they return to Hughey Gym to host the University of Texas-Tyler 

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.