MEMPHIS, Tenn. - In search of a win to snap its season-long three-game skid, the Warriors traveled to Memphis, Tenn. Wednesday evening to take on Rhodes as part of the first Southern Athletic Association contest for both teams. After knocking down two three-pointers in the first sixty-eight seconds of regulation, Hendrix jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead and led by 12 just four minutes into the game. A 10-3 run towards the end of the first half allowed for a 42-25 halftime lead en route to an impressive 80-60 victory over the Lynx. The 20-point win over Rhodes is the largest margin of victory over Rhodes in program history. Senior guard Preston Smith recorded a season-best 21 points in 25 minutes of action including a 6-of-13 mark from beyond-the-arc. The win at Rhodes was Hendrix's first since March 1, 2015. The Warriors improve to 5-7 on the season and 1-0 in SAA play while the Lynx fall to 3-9 and 0-1 in conference action.

THE BASICS
Score:  Hendrix 80, Rhodes 60
Records: Warriors (5-7, 1-0 SAA) | Lynx (3-9, 0-1 SAA)
Location | Time: Memphis, Tenn. | 5 PM
Get Social: Twitter | @HendrixWarriors | @HCscoreboard 
Up Next: Friday, Jan. 4 at Sewanee at 8 PM

TURNING POINT
A 14-3 lead by the road team was, essentially, the lone turning point on the night. A run that saw four different Warriors record minutes including two freshmen. Hendrix led by as many as  19 in the first half alone en route to the 20-point win at Rhodes. 

OF NOTE
- Leading 42-25 with 20 minutes to go, Hendrix opened the second half on a 15-4 run to take a commanding 57-29 lead with 15:00 to go.
- Freshman forward Seth Stanley, freshman guard Sean Coman and junior guard Jacob Link combined to hit six straight free throw attempts over the course of the next three minutes to take a 63-37 lead with 10:37 left.
- Up by 17, Stanley hit his third trifecta of the night with 6:43 to go while Smith hit his team-high sixth of the night with 4:21 to go as Hendrix enjoyed a 27-point lead.
- Rhodes ended the game on a 7-0 run but the Warriors hung on for the 80-60 conference-opening victory.
- After recording just one point against Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday, freshman guard Kam Brasfield recorded 18 points in 26 minutes of work including an efficient 5-of-11 from the floor and 8-for-10 at the free throw line; also logged a team-high seven rebounds.
- Stanley produced 14 points including three three-point makes and a 5-for-5 mark at the charity stripe.
- Coman added eight points off the bench and two rebounds while sophomore guard Trey Rouse tallied three points in 12 minutes of work.
- Hendrix collected 40 rebounds while the Lynx tallied 32.
- Both teams logged 12 assists on the night but the Warriors committed two fewer turnovers than Rhodes (16-18).
- In just four games this season, Smith is already second on the team in three-point field goals made (17); 10 shy of Stanley for the team lead.
- As a collective unit, the 22 free throw makes and 12 three-point makes tie its season high while Wednesday marks the fourth time the Warriors have eclipsed the 80-point mark in a game (3-1)

WHAT WAS SAID
"I am really proud of how our guys played tonight, but I'm even more proud of how they prepared," stated a happy Coach Thad McCracken Wednesday night. "We elevated our level of toughness in practice this week and I thought it showed. We truly played as a team at both ends of the floor against a Rhodes team that is really improving."

WHO'S NEXT
Now with a 20-point victory under its belt and a 1-0 mark in conference play, the Warriors stay on the road as Hendrix faces the Sewanee Tigers Friday from Sewanee, Tenn. The Warriors battle the Tigers at 8 p.m.

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