DANVILLE, Ky. – Jacob Bates scored 31 points as Centre men's basketball toppled visiting Rhodes Sunday afternoon, winning by an 81-59 score in Southern Athletic Association action.
 
The Colonels (16-2, 6-1 SAA) have now won eight straight, improving to 7-0 at home with the rout over the Lynx (4-14, 1-6).
 
Bates added 10 rebounds to record his seventh double-double, and Art Walker finished with 15 points while hitting three 3-pointers.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Rhodes led 14-12 midway through the opening half before the Colonels found their offensive footing.
- Jalen Williams helped spark an 8-0 run, scoring six points including a scoop-and-slam that allowed Centre to take a 22-14 lead.
- The run extended out to 14-2 in favor of the Colonels, and they grabbed a 28-16 lead by the four-minute mark with all 28 points coming in the paint.
- In the final minute, Bates sank a 3-pointer late in the shotclock and helped Centre take a 37-24 lead into the half.
- Bates rolled that momentum into the second half, scoring Centre's first eight points and forcing an early timeout from the Rhodes bench.
- Walker found his scoring touch as the half wore on, connecting on a trio of 3-pointers and a highlight-reel dunk.
- Centre would cruise to the finish line, shooting a blistering 63% overall in the second half.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Bates shot 13 of 17 overall and hit three 3-pointers, finishing with his SAA-leading seventh double-double.
- KC Purvis finished with six rebounds, helping Centre record a 35-31 advantage on the glass.
- Dawson Crump led the team with four assists.
- The Colonels shot 54% overall, shooting 50% or better for the ninth time this season. Centre hit 6 of 9 from long range across the final 20 minutes to help the cause.
- Centre held a massive 24-9 edge in points off turnovers, committing eight fewer (18-10) than its opponent.
- Fifty of Centre's 81 points came in the paint, while 21 came from beyond the arc.
 
INTERVIEW




UP NEXT
Centre heads to Conway, Ark., for its second meeting against Hendrix next Friday. The Colonels defeated the Warriors, 80-58, this past Friday evening.