DANVILLE, Va. – The Averett University women's basketball team sailed to an easy 78-48 conference victory over William Peace University on Wednesday night at the Grant Center.
 
Averett (8-6, 3-3 USA South) pulled ahead early on to establish a 15-3 lead with the help of sophomore shooting guard Samm Chandler, who scored Averett's first nine points. The Cougars' trap defense continued to hold off William Peace (5-10, 0-7 USA South) as the Pacers put up only six points in the first quarter, and Averett took a commanding 19-point lead at the end of the period.
 
Peace tried to make a quick comeback at the start of the second frame with a 7-2 run in two-and-a-half minutes to decrease the margin, but they couldn't overcome the deficit from the first period as Averett led 40-22 at the break.
 
The Cougars, who have won three of their last four games, never let up and led by as much as 35 (71-36) when freshman guard Shannon Longworth's 3-pointer from the top of the key bounced in with five minutes remaining in regulation.
 
Chandler shot 50 percent from the floor to finish with a game-high of 21 points as sophomore guard Frida Lundquist added 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard DaQuila Washington and freshman guard Alixis Roccia contributed nine points apiece with Roccia dishing out five assists. Senior forward Oneka Jones put up eight points and snatched 13 rebounds for her second consecutive game of double-digit boards.   
 
Averett takes a break from conference play as it prepares to face non-conference foe Emory & Henry College on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 4 p.m. at the Grant Center. The Cougars continue conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 27, when they travel to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to take on N.C. Wesleyan College at 7 p.m.