The Oglethorpe women's basketball team secured their 11th straight win and extended the program's best start since 2008-09 to 13-1 Sunday with an 80-70 win over the Rhodes Lynx in Dorough Field House. The Stormy Petrels fell behind early on and withstood a game with 11 ties and 12 lead changes, but they pulled away late for the 10-point win to get off to a 3-0 start in conference play.
The Petrels took the lead for the final time with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter. From there, they went on a 19-8 run over 9:20, bridging into the fourth quarter, to build a 72-61 lead with just under 3 minutes remaining. The Lynx pushed it as close as an 8-point game in the final minute, but Oglethorpe was able to hold on for the 10-point victory.
The visitors led 41-39 at the halftime break, but the Petrels came back to take a 44-42 lead. The two teams traded baskets from there, with neither team gaining much of a leg up. Oglethorpe took a 53-48 lead with 3:45 left in the third quarter, but Rhodes scored 5 straight points to tie it 53-53 with 2:38 left.
The teams traded baskets back and forth to start the game, but Rhodes sank a pair of 3-pointers to take a 16-10 lead with 3:38 left in the opening quarter. The Petrels fought right back tie the game 19-19 at the quarter break, and the teams continued to jostle back and forth throughout much of the second quarter. The Lynx went on a 7-0 run to take a 36-30 lead with 2:57 remaining until halftime, but the Petrels finished the first half on a 7-3 mini-run.
Oglethorpe held Rhodes to just 34.7 percent from the field and outscored them by 12 points at the free throw line, with the Petrels converting on 81.5 percent of their foul shots to Rhodes' 55.6. The home side outrebounded Rhodes 51-43 and outscored them 38-16 in the paint.
Sophomore guard Nikki Reed led the way with 21 points on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 6-of-8 from the free throw line while also collecting five rebounds. Junior center Savannah LeGate recorded her seventh double-double of the season, scoring 11 points on 5-of-9 from the field and collecting 15 boards. LeGate also blocked three shots. Junior guard Taylor Smith posted a double-double, as well, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
The Petrels hit the road next weekend for their first true road games since their Nov. 15 loss to Emory and Henry. They'll take on Sewanee Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern from Tennessee, then continue to Danville, Kentucky, for a battle with Centre at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12.