DANVILLE, Ky. (February 26, 2023) – Tournament MVP Alexys Mathangani netted 25 points and led second-seeded Rhodes past top-seed Centre 61-52, giving the Lynx their third-consecutive Southern Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Tournament championship.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL / BOX SCORE
 
Rhodes (17-11) earns the SAA’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament and will await the bracket announcement on Monday afternoon. Conference regular season champion Centre closes its season at 20-8.
 
Avery Marsh added 12 points for Rhodes and Giana Vlahakos tallied 10 points and 14 rebounds off the bench. The duo joined Mathangani on the SAA All-Tournament team.
 
Bailey Rucker posted 16 points to pace the Colonels. Payton Herold added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists while earning a spot on the All-Tournament team.
 
Centre jumped ahead early, taking a 16-9 advantage after the first. Rhodes responded in the second and held the hosts to six, second quarter points to take a 24-22 lead into the break.
 
The teams traded baskets in the third with a Mathangani layup late putting the Lynx up 38-37 heading into the fourth. The score was knotted at 42 with seven minutes to play before Rhodes rattled off a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to grab control, 51-42. The Lynx went up by as much as 11 and held off Centre down the stretch to take the tournament crown back to Memphis.
 
All-Tournament Team
Alexys Mathangani - Rhodes (MVP)
Avery Marsh - Rhodes
Giana Vlahakos - Rhodes
Payton Herold - Centre
Sylvia Kahoro - Berry
Haley Franklin - Millsaps