DANVILLE, Va. — Senior KeShawn Lewis scored a career-high 15 points on Senior Day, but Averett University men's basketball fell short 64-63 to Methodist University in the final seconds on Saturday at the Grant Center.
 
Averett (14-11, 11-3 USA South) trailed by one with 11.6 seconds to play. Following a timeout, the Cougars got a jumper up in the final seconds but it didn't fall and they didn't get a clean look for a tip-in as Methodist (4-20, 3-11 USA South) survived with the victory, its third in four games.

The Cougars overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to briefly take a 44-43 lead on Lewis' layup with 11:01 to play. After Methodist retook the lead, Averett went up 56-54 on a pair of free throws. The Monarchs, however responded with several big 3-pointers by Jeremy Mull in the final minutes. Overall, Mull hit seven shots from beyond the arc to lead Methodist with 21 points.

Freshman Bryce Shaw hit a big 3-pointer with just under a minute to play to get Averett back within one point. The Cougars got a stop at the other end to set up the final play with a chance to win.
Despite a career-high from Lewis and 14 points from his brother, sophomore Jordan Lewis, Averett was cold from the floor and shot just 33 percent in the first half.

Methodist's 11 3-pointers proved to be the difference.

Averett also got 11 points from redshirt freshman Jem Lowrance and 10 points from Shaw in the regular season finale.

Averett, which clinched the No. 1 seed in the USA South Conference's East Division this past Tuesday, will host a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 22.


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