JACKSON, Miss. – Rhodes College came into Friday night's game with the third highest scoring average in the nation with 111.9 points per game, using their system of constant presses and five-in-five-out substitutions. Millsaps stayed with the fast pace, but ended up losing a close one, 103-96. Millsaps falls to 3-12 and 0-4 in the SAA, while Rhodes is now 8-7 and 2-2 in the conference.
Sophomore
Buck Blanz scored a game high 20 points, while junior
Michael Sullivan finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior
Sam Kohnke finished with 14 points, six assists and four rebounds, sophomore
James Turner had 14 points and eight rebounds, and sophomore
She'Chem Grant finished with 12 points.
Millsaps endured the pressure in the early going of the game, playing from behind by a slim margin. Turner's free throw at the 10:30 mark in the first half gave the Majors their first lead of the game, 24-23. Millsaps stayed on top as both teams traded close baskets at the rim.
Rhodes took back the lead with 6:01 left in the first with a free throw, taking a 32-31 lead. After the game was tied back up, Millsaps used a 6-0 run to take a 45-39 advantage with 2:48 left. Rhodes tied the score at 49 in the final minute, but a layup by Blanz with 35 seconds left gave the Majors a 51-49 halftime lead.
Millsaps took a 58-55 lead with 16:40 to go in the game, the Majors then went on a quick 9-4 run over the next two minutes to go ahead 67-59. That lead did not last long for the Majors, Rhodes went on a 9-0 run to take a 76-74 lead with 10:02 left.
With 2:11 left in the game, technical and personal fouls by each team gave Millsaps four free throw attempts and Rhodes two. Sullivan converted all four and Rhodes only made one to make it a 95-93 deficit. After two Rhodes free throws,
Joshua Miller hit a three with 1:11 left to make it a 97-96 deficit. That was the last basket Millsaps would get as Rhodes made their free throws in the final minute.
The Majors are back at the Hangar Dome for another conference game against Hendrix on Sunday, game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
