DANVILLE, Va. — Junior Corey Baldwin scored a career-high 25 points to help Averett University men's basketball beat conference rival N.C. Wesleyan College 75-56 on Saturday afternoon in the Grant Center.
 
Averett (5-8, 2-1 USA South) controlled the tempo from the tip, running out to a 9-2 advantage in the first three minutes. That first-half lead grew to as many as 18 on layup from sophomore Jason Sellars II off a nice pass from senior Jalen Rowell, giving Averett a 40-22 advantage with 2:52 left in the half. The Cougars led 42-26 at the break after shooting 48.5 percent from the floor as a team over the first 20 minutes.

N.C. Wesleyan (9-4, 1-1 USA South) only got as close as 14 points with 6:45 to play, but Baldwin scored the next seven points for Averett over the next three minutes and hit several 3-pointers late to help put the Battling Bishops away.

In addition to his team-high 25 points, Baldwin also had eight rebounds and three blocks for Averett. Rowell chipped in 17 points, three assists, two blocks and two steals, while sophomore Jordan Lewis grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and dished out a career-best five assists. Senior KeShawn Lewis added nine points, five steals and three assists. Sellars also had a strong game, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

As a team, Averett shot 46.6 percent from the floor and had eight blocks.

Averett is scheduled to host non-conference foe University of Mary Washington on Monday in a rescheduled game from December.


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