HARRISONBURG, Va. — Junior Jason Sellars II scored a career-high 21 points to help Averett University men's basketball finish off Eastern Mennonite University for a 63-59 road win in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
 
Eastern Mennonite (5-13, 1-8 ODAC) trimmed a double-digit deficit down to 57-56 with three minutes to play, but Averett (8-11, 4-6 ODAC) managed to hold on down the stretch thanks to key makes by Sellars and junior Jordan Lewis. Sellars hit one of two free throws with just three minutes to go, and Lewis' jumper in the paint extended the Cougars' lead out to 60-56. After a defensive stop, Lewis hit one of two foul shots and moments later following Averett's offensive rebound, Sellars hit a big layup to put the Cougars ahead 63-56 with 18 seconds remaining. From there, the Royals hit a 3-pointer but Averett escaped with its second ODAC win in a row.

Down one at halftime, Averett began the second half with a solid 12-3 run over the first six minutes of the period. That lead grew to as many as 11 points before the Royals battled back in the final minutes.

Sellars finished with a double-double including 12 rebounds — one shy of his career mark. Lewis totaled 11 points and five assists, senior Bryson McLaughlin added 12 points, six rebounds and four blocks, while sophomore Bryce Shaw grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds with eight points.
 
Averett outrebounded Eastern Mennonite 42-24 and totaled 14 assists, which is the second-highest output of the season.
 
Averett returns home to host No. 2 Randolph-Macon College in an ODAC showdown in the Grant Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m.


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