For the second time this weekend, the Oglethorpe men's basketball team needed double overtime to decide an SAA contest Sunday afternoon, but just like Friday night at Hendrix, the Stormy Petrels came away with a one-point victory, 73-72 over Rhodes in Memphis, Tenn.
The victory improves the team to 13-1 on the season, extending the best start in modern program history. It also gives them a 3-0 start to the SAA season, placing them in a first-place tie with Centre.
The Petrels got off to an excellent start, pushing out to a 22-9 lead midway through the first half. They saw the home-standing Lynx chip away at that lead, but still led 32-27 at the break.
In the second half, it appeared as though the Petrels were pulling away. A 15-6 run, capped by a Victor Rohlfs 3-pointer, gave the team a 15-point lead, their largest of the game, with 7:34 remaining. However, just like Hendrix on Friday night, Rhodes mounted a rally.
They finished regulation play on a 19-4 run, and held the Petrels scoreless over the game's final 3:52. A Drew Patrick layup gave Oglethorpe a 60-52 lead at that point, but Rhodes slowly whittled the lead down and tied the game on their final possession of regulation, burying a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. An Oglethorpe shot did not go down and the game went to overtime, tied 60-60.
In the first overtime period, the Petrels immediately took a three point lead when freshman guard Connor Smith knocked down a 3-pointer on the first possession of the extra frame. However, Rhodes whittled the deficit to a single point with a couple of free throws. Then, both teams went scoreless for three minutes with the Petrels up 63-62. Rhodes broke the deadlock with a 3-pointer, giving the Lynx their first lead since they were ahead 3-2 with 18:53 left in the first half. Rhodes' 65-63 with 52 seconds remaining also represented their largest lead of the game. This time it was Oglethorpe's turn to tie it. Senior guard Tyler Courson buried a jump shot with 29 seconds left, and the Petrels had re-tied the game, 65-65. A last-ditch Rhodes shot came up short and the game moved on to double overtime.
In the second overtime period, neither team scored for the first 2:30 of the proceedings. However, it was Rhodes who drew first blood, taking a 67-65 lead. Rohlfs buried a 3-pointer at the other end, giving the Petrels the lead back, 68-67, with 2:03 remaining. However, a 2-for-2 trip to the free-throw line gave Rhodes a 69-68 advantage with 1:23 on the clock. Freshman guard Romello Bates, playing in place of the fouled-out Alex Davis, hit a huge shot at the other end and got fouled on the play. After he converted the conventional 3-point opportunity, the Petrels led by two, 71-69, with 1:02 left. It wasn't over yet, however. Rhodes again hit a 3-pointer to take the lead back, 72-71, with just 33 seconds remaining. But it was Oglethorpe who had the last bit of magic, as freshman guard Drew Patrick converted a layup with 15 seconds left, giving the Petrels a 73-72 advantage. Rhodes had a shot at the other end, but it went begging, and the Petrels escaped with their second straight one-point, double-overtime road win.
The Petrels shot 48 percent for the game, including 35 percent from 3-point range and 53 percent from the line. Rhodes shot 40 percent from the floor, but shot 42 percent from distance and 68 percent from the line. They also outrebounded the Petrels, 44-29, including 14-5 on the offensive glass. The Petrels countered this by forcing 21 turnovers and committing 15 themselves. The Petrels doubled up the Lynx, 26-13, in points off turnovers, offsetting Rhodes' 17-7 second-chance points advantage.
Patrick collected his second double-double of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while adding two assists and two blocks. Meanwhile, junior center Jordan Kinney scored a team-high 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting before fouling out late. He also blocked four shots and grabbed six rebounds. Smith contributed 11 points and three steals off the bench, while Rohlfs had 11 points, four assists and three steals.
The Petrels will try to extend their perfect SAA record as they return home for five straight league contests at Dorough Field House. The first takes place on Saturday, when they welcome Berry at 8 p.m. The Petrels escaped Mount Berry, Ga., with a one-point victory for their first conference win of the season in early December.