MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Millsaps women's basketball team handled Rhodes College in the Southern Athletic Association Opener, 51-42 inside the Mallory Gymnasium on Sunday.
Sophomore Tia Anderson led the Majors with a career-high 18 points and was three rebounds away from her first collegiate double-double.
Anderson shot 5-for-7 from the foul line, while adding seven rebounds, one block and two steals on defense.
Senior Haley Franklin (three rebounds, three assists, one steal) and junior Elyse Warren (six rebounds) both registered nine points against the Lynx.
Sophomore Garin Freeman finished with eight points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals and also shot 4-for-4 from the foul lane.
Millsaps (12-2, 1-0 SAA) surpassed Rhodes (3-11, 1-1 SAA) in bench points (27-7) and owned a second-chance point advantage (7-2). The Lynx were also outnumbered, 24-20 with points inside the paint and the Majors also took a 14-7 advantage in points off turnovers.
A senior Whitney Novak three-pointer from top of the key gave Millsaps their first points in the first quarter.
Both teams would trade off points in a low-scoring contest before Anderson banked another three-pointer to close out the first quarter. Rhodes narrowly led, 14-13.
In the second quarter, the two teams continued to battle hard. Anderson again sank a trey to give Millsaps a 19-18 lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. With 2:33 remaining on the clock, a Freeman driving layup and free throws gave Millsaps a 27-18 advantage to finish off a 13-0 run.
Rhodes would use a jumper to cut their deficit to seven points before halftime, trailing at 29-22.
In the third quarter with 4:35 remaining, junior Lexus Keyes would collect a block on defense inside the paint.
Senior Emily Adams chipped in offensively with a pull-up jumper to close out the quarter out front, 38-30.
In the final quarter with 7:16 to go, a Rhodes turnaround jumper kept the contest in single digits.
Moments later, an Anderson trey would help spark a crucial 5-0 run midway through the quarter. The Lynx trailed by eight points and couldn't claw back from there.
The Brusly, La., product would finish strong down the stretch by making three free throws to help ice away the victory. Millsaps would down the Lynx, 51-42 on Sunday.
The Majors will continue SAA action on Tuesday against Hendrix in Conway, Ark. Game start is scheduled for 1p.m. with live video and live stats provided at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College women's basketball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
