Box Score
Box Score


DANVILLE, Va. — Averett and Shenandoah Universiy dueled back and forth through two overtimes, but the Hornets' basket with 1.3 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in an 85-83 conference victory on Wednesday night at the Grant Center.

Shenandoah (3-10, 1-0 USA South) had the ball at the end of regulation and the first overtime, but couldn't convert. The second overtime turned out to be different. Shenandoah's Ross Heyl missed a jumper from the corner, but Dominic Chappell grabbed the rebound and hit the eventual game-winner with a fall-away jumper in the paint with 1.3 seconds left. After two Averett timeouts, sophomore Jeremy Ruffin's half-court heave missed left as time expired, leaving the Cougars heartbroken.

Averett (5-8, 0-1 USA South) outrebounded Shenandoah 55-34 thanks to a career night from sophomore Paul Porter, who scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed a career-best 18 rebounds. Porter, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, also set an Averett single-game record with 13 offensive rebounds. Still, it wasn't enough.

Shenandoah answered several Averett runs and kept up with the help of 11-for-33 shooting from beyond the arc. The Hornets also took advantage of several untimely Averett turnovers late in the game.

Averett took a four-point lead at the start of the second overtime, only to see Shenandoah answer with four straight points from Avery Green. The Cougars regained a 76-74 advantage on a pair of Porter free throws, but Bryce Mitchell drained a 3-pointer at the other end to put the Hornets in front. Averett hit one of two free throws at the other end to tie the game with 18 seconds to play. Following a Shenandoah timeout, Chappell hit the put-back to win the game.

Chappell finished with 17 points off the bench and Green had a team-high 21 points.

In addition to Porter's big night, Averett got 18 points and 13 rebounds from junior Marquis Scott, along with 11 points from junior Grant Chandler. Junior Justin Pierce added 10 points and a career-best eight assists for the Cougars.

Porter's 13 offensive rebounds — one more than Shenandoah's total as a team — topped the program record he set last season when he had 11 in regulation against N.C. Wesleyan College.

Averett will look to rebound from the tough loss when the Cougars host Methodist University on Saturday at 4 p.m.