DANVILLE, Va.  ­— The Averett University men's basketball team held off a late rally by Randolph College en route to a 71-67 non-conference victory on Saturday afternoon at the Grant Center.
 
Averett (9-2) looked in control late in the game, taking a 67-56 lead thanks to senior Trevor West's 3-pointer with 3:24 remaining. However, Randolph (7-4) answered back with a 13-2 run to get within four when Reid Jacoby nailed a huge 3-pointer to make it 69-65 with a minute left.  The Wildcats got the ball back almost immediately when the Cougars turned the ball over on a travel call. Averett then fouled Randolph before the ball could be inbounded and Josh Freund made both attempts from the line to get the Wildcats within two with 56 seconds remaining.  Averett, though, forced a crucial turnover and senior Devontae Pannell sank a pair of free throws with eight seconds left to lift the Cougars to their second victory in a row and sixth in their last seven contests.
 
The first half saw Randolph's zone defense take away Averett's inside opportunities. The Wildcats led 19-18 midway through the first period before the Cougars used a 15-9 run to establish a 33-23 lead thanks to a 3-pointer from Pannell. Averett was dominant the rest of the period, taking a 38-28 lead going into the break.
 
Averett had three players score in double digits. West led the way with 17 points, while junior Charles Bryant chipped in with 14 points and seven rebounds. Senior Bradley Robinson added 10 points and senior Carter Jones recorded nine points and six rebounds. Averett shot 41.9 percent from the field and 10 of 13 from the charity stripe.
 
Defensively, Averett forced 12 turnovers, leading to 20 points.  The Cougars also outrebounded the Wildcats 35-29, holding Randolph to only two offensive boards.
 
Averett returns to the court on Jan. 6 when it travels to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to take on N.C. Wesleyan College at 7:30 p.m. in its USA South Conference opener.