DANVILLE, Va. — It was a night of career-highs for the Averett University women's basketball team in an 83-33 conference victory over Mary Baldwin College at the Grant Center on Wednesday.
 
Similar to teams' first meeting earlier in the season, Mary Baldwin (0-20, 0-14 USA South) was able to stay close midway through the first half, but the Fighting Squirrels missed too many open opportunities to stick with the Cougars, who shot 42 percent from the floor.
 
The Cougars only led by six when Averett's senior point guard Aundrea Burns scored on fast break layup with 3:38 left to go in the first period. Burns' layup, resulting from a DaQuila Washington steal, sparked a 14-0 run for the Cougars. Averett (9-11, 7-7 USA South) led 40-20 at the break with 12 points coming from Burns in the first half. She shot 7-for-9 from the field to finish with a career-best 18 points to go with six assists.
 
Averett's run carried over into the second half, extending it to 37-0. Mary Baldwin was scoreless for almost 18 minutes straight.
 
The Cougars made sure to clean the boards and outrebounded Mary Baldwin 56-42, and they only allowed the Fighting Squirrels four second-chance points. Freshman guard Joelle Deese, who made her first collegiate start, grabbed a career-best of nine rebounds.
 
Freshman shooting guard Samm Chandler led the way for the Cougars with 20 points and 13 rebounds to net her sixth career double-double. Chandler also dished out a career-high six assists. Junior guard Jessica Myers added 18 points and matched her career-high of nine rebounds for Averett.
 
Kaybria Jennings was the only player from Mary Baldwin to score in double-figures with 13 points.
 
Averett returns to action this weekend to face Methodist University on Saturday at 4 p.m. and N.C. Wesleyan on Sunday at 3 p.m. Both games will take place at the Grant Center.