MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Hendrix College men's basketball team started their season off right, earning a 68-66 win over Fontbonne University in their season opener as part of the Rhodes College Opening Classic in Memphis.

Hendrix jumped out to an early lead, but the Griffins kept the game close throughout the first half. The Warriors took an 11-point lead in the second half, but Fontbonne proved to be a pesky team down the final stretch. The Orange and Black were threatened, but never trailed in the game, earning the narrow 68-66 victory to begin their season with a win.  

Luke Vance led all scorers with 13 points, going 7-for-10 from the foul line and grabbed seven rebounds. Jordan Barrett notched 12 points for the Warriors, while Hank Aldous chipped in with 11. Drew Nikolovski provided a spark off the bench for the Orange and Black, scoring 10 points, including a pair of long-distance field goals.

In the first half, Hendrix shot 45.8% from the floor while holding their opponents to just 34.6% on 9-for-26 shooting. The Warriors took advantage of an over-aggressive Fontbonne defense, going 8-for-9 from the foul line as well. Vance and Barrett each went a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the first half.

The Orange and Black found themselves ahead 25-21 with five minutes to go in the half, but a three-pointer from Evan Johnson drew Fontbonne to within one point. The Warriors finished the half on an 8-0 run, holding their opponents scoreless for the final four minutes of the half, to take a 33-24 lead into the locker room at the halftime break.

In the second frame, Fontbonne battled their way back from the halftime deficit, tying the game at 44-44 nearly halfway through the period. A huge three-pointer from Nikolovski broke the tie, giving Hendrix the lead. After an Aldous three, Alec Conrad delivered four straight points to keep the Warriors on top. Hendrix took a 60-53 lead on a three-pointer from Travis Garrett with 4:20 to go in the game.

In the final minutes of the game, Hendrix cashed in on layups and foul shots to hold off the Griffins, earning the 68-66 victory.

The Warriors begin their season with a 1-0 mark and will return to action on Sunday, November 16 when they take on ninth-ranked Washington University (Mo.) at 1 p.m. in a neutral site game hosted by Rhodes.