FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Averett University men's basketball dropped a non-conference game 65-49 to No. 23 University of Mary Washington on Wednesday night.
Mary Washington (7-1), nationally ranked in the D3hoops.com poll, jumped out to a 15-1 lead to open the game to help the Eagles build a 38-21 advantage by halftime.
Averett (6-5), missing two regular starters in the lineup, found its rhythm in the second half and battled back to get within 48-39 on a pair of free throws by sophomore
Clay Hodges with 10:31 remaining. Mary Washington's 6-0 run over the next five minutes helped the Eagles regain momentum down the stretch on their way to a third consecutive win. Mary Washington shot 63.6 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
Hodges had a career-high 11 points off the bench for Averett, who got a team-high 13 points from Junior
Jordan Lewis. Sophomore
Bryce Shaw grabbed a career-high eight rebounds in his first start of the season.
Averett won the battle on the boards 32-30, but Mary Washington shot 50 percent from the field and made seven 3-pointers, both of which are season-highs for an Averett opponent thus far.
Following the holiday break, Averett heads to Christopher Newport University's Captains Shootout Dec. 29-30. The Cougars will face Wilmington College on Dec. 29 at 3 p.m.
