Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Augustana whittled what had been a 17-point deficit to five with less than three minutes remaining Friday, but couldn't come all the way back, falling 59-51 to 23rd-ranked Rhodes at the Bancorp South Holiday Classic. The Vikings dropped to 4-4 on the year, while the host Lynx improved to 9-1. Coach Mark Beinborn's club is back in action at the Classic on Saturday, facing Centre at 1:00 p.m.
 
Rhodes used a 19-2 run in the first half to break a 14-all tie and go up 33-16 with 4:16 left. A Valerie VanRoeyen (Libertyville HS, Grayslake, Ill.) three-pointer and a Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) layup helped Augustana cut the deficit to 35-21 at the half.
 
In the second stanza, VanRoeyen scored eight straight points on a pair of threes and a layup to get the Vikings to within seven (38-31) at the 13:55 mark. The Rhodes lead bounced between six and nine points until the Lynx scored five straight to go up 47-35 with 6:49 to play. However, another VanRoeyen layup and four Jen VanWatermeulen (United Township HS, Silvis, Ill.) free throws cut the margin to five (47-42)—the closest Augustana had been since the eight-minute mark of the first half.
 
Rhodes' Symone Daniels responded with a three-pointer, though, to put the hosts up 50-42. VanWatermeulen cut the deficit to six twice. Her two freebies at 2:28 made it 50-44 and her three-pointer with 21 seconds left got the Vikings within 57-51, but that's as close as Augustana would get. Two Daniels free throws accounted for the final score.
 
VanWatermeulen and VanRoeyen led the Vikings with 17 and 15 points, respectively. Pezzopane had a double-double, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) added eight boards and VanWatermeulen seven and sophomore Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) dished out six assists. Daniels led Rhodes with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sarah Johnson added 13 points and Bailey Kramer grabbed 10 boards also.
 
Augustana finished 17 of 53 (.321) from the field, including six of 23 (.261) from beyond the arc, and hit 11 of 12 (.917) free throw attempts. The Vikings held the Lynx to 18 of 57 (.316) shooting from the floor and just five of 23 (.217) in the second half. Rhodes was six of 15 (.400) from three-point range and 17 of 23 (.739) from the line. Augustana won the battle of the boards 40-39, but committed 19 turnovers to 12 for the Lynx.