Connor Sears scored a career-high 18 points and collected five steals, but the Covenant men's basketball team dropped its second straight game in as many days with a 72-66 defeat at Rhodes on Saturday.
The Scots, coming off a tough 73-67 overtime loss at Millsaps less than 24 hours before facing Rhodes, fall to 1-5 on the season. Rhodes improves to 6-2 overall.
Sears, getting his third straight start, went 8-of-9 from the field for his team-high 18 points and tallied three assists and two rebounds to go along with five steals. Colton McGriff continued his push for 1,000 career points as he poured in 16 on 7-of-13 shooting. McGriff is 18 points shy of the 1,000-point plateau.
Covenant shot the ball well at 47.3 percent (26-of-55) for the game and 9-for-11 from the free throw line. Rhodes attempted only 33 shots, making 19, but converted on 27-of-31 free throws (87.1 percent).
Rhodes' Brennen Sullivan led all scorers with 20 points. The host Lynx had four other players reach double figures in scoring as Geoff Livsey added 12 points, Drew Miller 11, and Ryan Van Hoeck and Luke Collins with 10 apiece.
Covenant trailed 35-31 at the half as Rhodes made 16-of-19 free throws in the opening period. The Scots would tie the score at 40-40 early in the second half when McGriff made a layup at the 15:29 mark. Rhodes gained the lead back on its next possession and would not trail the rest of the way.
TJ Cox dished out a game-high seven assists for the Scots to go with eight points and two steals. Daniel Garrett chipped in six points, while Nate Frierson and Ryan Burns each had five off the bench.
Covenant will be back in action on Tuesday at Sewanee at 8 p.m. EST. The Scots will then turnaround and face nationally-ranked Emory on Wednesday at home at 5:30 p.m.