After shooting 42.9% (12-28) in the first half, the Centre College men's basketball team shot 69.7% (23-33) in the second half to pull away for a 97-59 win over Rhodes College, Friday, Feb. 4, in Memphis, Tenn.
With its third straight win, Centre improves to 14-6 overall and 6-4 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Rhodes falls to 5-14 overall and 3-7 in league play.
Centre finished the game shooting 57.4% (35-61) for the game, including 16 of 26 (61.5%) from beyond the three point arc and 11 of 13 from the charity stripe, marking its third highest shooting percentage in a game this season. The Colonels shot 63.0% (34-54) against Thomas More and 59.6% (24-47) against the University of the South - Sewanee, earlier this year.
Senior center Reggie Magnusson and freshman guard Matt Nestheide tallied 20 points apiece to lead five Colonels in double-figures.
Nestheide connected on eight of 11 from the field, including four of six from the three-point line. Magnusson was eight of 13 from the floor, including one of one from the three-point line and three of three from the charity stripe.
Sophomore Josh Bell made all five of his shots, four of which were three-pointers, to score 16 points off the bench. Senior guard Kyle Roby and sophomore guard Kyle Christopher chipped in with 11 points each.
Rami Almefty and Matthew Jakes were the only two Lynx in double figures. Almefty notched 13 points and four assists, while Jakes scored 10 points in the loss.
The Colonels used a 12-2 run midway through the first half to take a 25-12 lead with 5:17 remaining in the first half. Centre would eventually push the lead to 14 points and take a 38-24 lead into the break.
Magnusson, Nestheide and Bell were too much for the Lynx in the second half, as the trio combined to make 17 of 19 from the field, including seven of eight from beyond the three-point arc, to score 44 of their 56 points in the half.
Rhodes made 21 of 41 for the game to shoot 51.2% from the field. The Lynx made six of their 11 (54.5%) three-point attempts and only 11 of 18 (61.1%) from the free throw line.
Centre will next travel to Conway, Ark., Sunday, Feb. 6, to play Hendrix College. The SCAC contest is set to start at 1 p.m. CST.
Newspaper Box Score CENTRE COLLEGE vs Rhodes 2/4/5 8:00 at Mallory Gymnasium At Mallory Gymnasium CENTRE COLLEGE 97, RHODES 59 CENTRE COLLEGE (14-6,6-4) Reggie Magnusson 8-13 3-3 20; Matt Nestheide 8-11 0-0 20; Josh Bell 5-5 2-2 16; Kyle Christopher 4-5 1-1 11; Kyle Roby 4-5 1-1 11; Thomas Britt 2-4 2-2 7; Matt Jacobson 2-6 1-2 7; Adam Patterson 1-2 0-0 2; Coy Zerhusen 1-4 0-0 2; John Patterson 0-4 1-2 1; Chris Smith 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-60 11-13 97. RHODES (5-14,3-7) Rami Almefty 5-8 2-3 13; Matthew Jakes 3-5 4-4 10; Kevin Campion 3-5 0-0 9; Justin Strong 4-8 0-0 8; Mladen Mrkiac 2-3 3-4 8; Joe Thompson 3-6 0-2 7; Joey Daly 1-4 0-0 2; Davis Bonham 0-1 2-5 2; Tommy Orton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-41 11-18 59. CENTRE COLLEGE................ 44 53 - 97 Rhodes........................ 24 35 - 59 3-point goals-CENTRE COLLEGE 16-26 (Matt Nestheide 4-6; Josh Bell 4-4; Kyle Roby 2-3; Matt Jacobson 2-5; Kyle Christopher 2-3; Thomas Britt 1-2; Reggie Magnusson 1-1; John Patterson 0-1; Adam Patterson 0-1), Rhodes 6-11 (Kevin Campion 3-4; Rami Almefty 1-1; Joe Thompson 1-1; Mladen Mrkiac 1-1; Tommy Orton 0-1; Joey Daly 0-2; Justin Strong 0-1). Fouled out--CENTRE COLLEGE-None, Rhodes-None. Rebounds-CENTRE COLLEGE 21 (Coy Zerhusen 5; John Patterson 5), Rhodes 25 (Kevin Campion 5). Assists-CENTRE COLLEGE 14 (Kyle Roby 4), Rhodes 8 (Rami Almefty 4). Total fouls-CENTRE COLLEGE 18, Rhodes 11. A-400