MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Centre men's basketball suffered a 71-66 defeat at Rhodes Sunday, dropping a Southern Athletic Association contest inside Mallory Gymnasium.
 
RJ Smith and Dustin Gerald combined for 50 points for the Colonels (9-7, 3-3 SAA), but the Lynx (8-9, 3-4) connected on key free throws late in the game to escape with a win.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- The two sides were evenly matched during the opening stages of the game, sitting in a 15-15 tie midway through the opening half.
- Gerald scored 14 points in the first period, including a last-second bucket that gave the Colonels a slim 35-33 halftime lead.
- Smith drained a 3-pointer to begin the second half, but Rhodes' Zavien Williams helped spark a quick flurry that brought the home side level by the first media break.
- Rhodes held Centre to just 3-for-14 (0-for-5 from 3-point range) during a 10-minute stretch that allowed the home side to pull ahead, 61-55, by the final media timeout.
- Trailing 65-60 in the final minute, Smith converted a rare 4-point play to make it a one-point deficit.
- The Lynx hit all seven of their free throws in the closing moments, however, hanging on to secure the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Smith scored 20 of his game-high 28 in the second half, and finished 8-for-14 overall and 10-for-12 at the charity stripe. He added three rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
- Gerald shot 10 of 16 for his 22 points, also bringing in four boards and a steal.
- Noah Ring led Centre with seven rebounds, followed by six from Chez Moore.
- Centre shot above 46% (24-52) as a team, but went only 4-for-20 from long range. The Lynx hit 10 threes, and also finished 19-20 from the free throw line to the Colonels' 14-22.
- Rhodes out-rebounded Centre 37-28.
 
UP NEXT
Centre returns home to host Hendrix next Friday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. ET.