DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University men's basketball team kept it close but couldn't quite finish it off as it fell to Hampden-Sydney College, 68-64, on Thursday night in the Grant Center.

Averett (0-2) kept it competitive the whole game, with neither team ever leading by more than nine points. The Cougars were close with the Tigers in most categories too, as they shot 42.1 percent from the floor compared to Hampden-Sydney's 43.4 percent. Averett even out-rebounded the Tigers, 44-32, on the night, which included 12 offensive rebounds and 11 second chance points. Hampden-Sydney, though, held an advantage with eight made 3-pointers and a 66.7 percent figure from the free throw line, compared to six 3-pointers and 50 percent from the free throw line from Averett.

After a back and forth contest to start, the Tigers pulled away to a 21-12 lead with 10:25 remaining in the first half. The Cougars then went on an 8-0 run to claw their way back to a one-point deficit, and later went on a 13-4 run to finish the half with a 35-32 lead.

The second half was more of the same as teams went back and forth, but the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to take a 65-61 lead with 4:29 remaining and never gave up the lead from that point on.

Sophomore Harrison Cochran led the team with 19 points and three steals to go along with seven rebounds. Junior Vince Contreras and senior T.J. McAllister joined him in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Freshman Isaiah Jones led the team with a career-high 12 rebounds and added five points, one block and two steals.

Averett returns to action on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. against Guilford College which serves as a doubleheader with the Averett women's basketball team playing Ferrum College in its home opener at 5 p.m.