DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University men's basketball held off rival N.C. Wesleyan College 91-88 in the final minute for its first USA South Conference victory on Tuesday night at the Grant Center.

Averett (6-3, 1-1 USA South) held an 86-78 lead with a minute to go, but N.C. Wesleyan (4-5, 2-1 USA South) made things interesting down the stretch. The Bishops scored on back-to-back possessions to get within four. The Cougars answered by hitting three of four free throws to extend their lead back to seven with 23 seconds to go. Yet, the lead wasn't safe.

Chris Braswell drained a 3-pointer to get N.C. Wesleyan within 89-85 with 14.1 seconds to play. After the Cougars couldn't convert its free throws moments later, and Braswell was fouled on a contested 3-pointer at the other end, where he sunk all three free throws to close the gap to just one with 6.7 seconds remaining.

N.C. Wesleyan fouled senior James Contreras Jr. with 4.9 seconds to go, and the senior calmly hit both foul shots to extend Averett's lead back to three. Braswell had one last look at a tying 3-pointer, but the shot hit off the rim as time expired to preserve the Averett victory.

Contreras led Averett with 24 points, including 9-for-9 shooting at the foul line, and dished out five assists.

Averett jumped out to an 8-0 lead to begin the game, but N.C. Wesleyan battled back to go in front by as many as seven points on Robert Wilson's 3-pointer with 7:09 to play in the half. Averett weathered the storm and chipped away that deficit. The Cougars tied it several times in the final minutes before going ahead 36-35 on sophomore Timothy Henry's layup and subsequent free throw. Sophomore Jamal Forde added a 3-poiner moments later to extend the Cougars' advantage to 39-35. Although N.C. Wesleyan tied the game with 1:03 left in the period, Averett took a 41-39 lead into halftime on Contreras' layup just before the break.

Tied 47-47 early in the second half, N.C. Wesleyan posted a 12-2 run to take a 10-point lead. Forde hit two big 3-pointers to help lead the Cougars back. Sophomore Ian Best's 3-pointer off a block at the rim pushed Averett in front 64-62 with 10:02 left. Although N.C. Wesleyan tied it seconds later, Averett never relinquished the lead after retaking it on junior Jalen Burnett's jumper at the other end.

Forde finished with 12 points off the bench — all from beyond the arc — to go with four steals, while Burnett added 12 points as well. Freshman Raymond Bullock III also came up with some crucial baskets and finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Senior Darin Ketner chipped in 10 points and five boards.

Wilson, who had 12 points at the half, led N.C. Wesleyan with 18 points and 10 boards.

Averett returns to action next on Jan. 6 at Methodist University.