DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University women's basketball team earned an 80-74 hard fought comeback victory over Mary Baldwin University on Friday evening to open USA South Conference action. 
 
Averett (5-2, 1-0 USA South) took a 17-15 lead following the opening quarter of play backed by senior Brooke Carthon's stellar opening frame. 
 
Mary Baldwin (4-4, 0-2 USA South) battled back in the second quarter, winning the quarter 22-21, but trailed the Cougars 38-37 heading into halftime. 
 
The Fighting Squirrels came out on a tear to open the third quarter of play, taking a 55-50 leave over Averett heading into the fourth quarter. 
 
However, the fourth quarter would belong to the Averett as the Cougars scored a season-high 30 points in the final 10 minutes of play to take an 80-74 advantage.
 
Carthon paced the Cougars with game-high 25 points, 15 coming in the first half, while grapping seven rebounds and dishing out a career-high six assists and recording two clutch blocks in an impressive 35 minutes of play. 
 
Senior Ravyn Johnson finished with a game-high 15 rebounds and three steals to go along with seven points, while freshman Briana Payne and sophomore Camryn Lunsford each notched double-digit point totals with 16 and 12 points, respectively. 
 
Freshman Courtney Scott finished with seven points and five assists, while senior Kiara Smith added seven points.
 
Averett finished the contest shooting an impressive 43.2 percent from the floor and tallied a 46-37 to go along with a season-high 16 assists and five blocked shots. 
 
The Cougars return to action Dec. 14 when they battle Greensboro College on the road at 2 p.m.