Men's basketball continued their scorching hot start to the 2022-23 season on the opening night of the Rhodes Classic with a commanding 86-52 victory over the Covenant College Scots. The win gives the Lynx their 5th straight and leaves the door open for them to secure their best start in 15 seasons if they win this Sunday in the finale of the Classic against Colorado College at 2pm.
The first half started as a heated defensive battle with both teams failing to score on the first few possessions. Senior Jalen Essick got the party started for Rhodes with a layup in heavy traffic. This sparked a mini-Lynx-run where senior Jefferson Walker took charge of the game. Walker got to the basket multiple times, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. He finished the half 5-5 from the field for 10 pts and added 3 assists. Senior Koki Wiley was all over the court in the half. He finished the half with 9pts and 4 rebounds. Freshman Phil Dotson continued to be a weapon for Coach Goodson off the bench. After a 7-0 Scots run got the lead within single digits, Dotson took over. He hit a massive three and scored on multiple drives to the basket, sparking a Lynx 10-0 run. He would finish the half leading all scorers with 11pts. Defense was once again the driving force behind the Lynx. Zavien Williams, one of the best defenders in the SAA, led all players in the half with 2 steals and was a menace 1-on-1. The Lynx forced 10 first half turnovers from the Scots and refused to let them settle in. At the buzzer, the Lynx led 47-29.
The 2nd half was much of the same of the Lynx. With defense leading the way, the Lynx controlled the entire half, never letting the Scots get within striking distance. The Lynx seniors (Essick, Wiley and Walker) continued to pace the Lynx offensively. With 9 min to go in the 2nd half, Coach Goodson emptied his bench, and rewarded the unsung heroes of the team with a long stretch of playing time. Guard Jonathan Prange led the charge for the bench unit and finished the game as the leading scorer with 14 pts on 5-6 shooting from the field. The Lynx would eventually grow the lead to 36 and won 86-52. The Lynx led for 91% of the game by the final buzzer.
As we've seen throughout the season, Coach Goodson's emphasis on defense continues to flow through his players. The Lynx forced 17 turnovers, leading to 23 points. The Lynx also dominated the paint (52-12) and rebounding (51-29) battles. They look to extend the winning streak to 6 this Sunday at 2pm against Colorado College.
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