FERRUM, Va. — Despite a season-high 20 points from senior Jason Sellars II, Averett University men's basketball couldn't overcome an early deficit in an 84-62 road loss at Ferrum College to open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play Saturday. 

Ferrum (5-0, 1-0 ODAC) raced out to a 13-2 lead in the first seven-plus minutes. Senior Jordan Lewis' 3-pointer with 8:43 left in the first half helped Averett (1-4, 0-1 ODAC) get within 22-15. The Panthers pushed their lead back to double digits and settled for a 35-24 advantage at the half. 

The Cougars got within six multiple times in the second half before Ferrum pulled away down the stretch. 

Sellars finished one point shy of matching his career-high, and he grabbed seven rebounds. Freshman Jamison Graves and redshirt junior Zach Shumate scored 12 points and 10 points, respectively, off the bench. Junior Bryce Shaw had a team-high eight rebounds to go with a career-high four assists. 

Averett returns home to face Maryville College on Sunday at 3 p.m.