DANVILLE, Va. – It was an all-round team effort from Averett University women's basketball, never looking back as the Cougars defeated visiting Salem College 72-38, notching their first win of the 2024-25 campaign.
The first quarter featured a slew of runs from both sides, as Averett (1-4) began the game on a 9-1 run, before visitors Salem (0-3) jumped out of its timeout with a 7-2 run of their own. Play seemed to settle down for the last five minutes, as the Cougars would use a 9-5 scoring window to end the quarter, up 18-12. During that run, the Averett defense was relentless, allowing the Spirits to make just a single field goal, with six turnovers.
The Cougars would further distance themselves away from Salem to start the second, scoring seven of the next eight points through roughly three minutes. The Spirits slightly climbed back, before a number of turnovers began to cost them. An array of timely steals from Averett helped to build a 15-point lead at the halftime break, 33-18.
Ny'Kerasia Coleman scored to the tune a game-high 11 points at the intermission, going 5-7 from the field, with a make from the free-throw line.
The Cougars kept their foot on the gas offensively, utilizing yet another large one, 16-2, to balloon their lead to 29. Defensively, Salem was kept silent, limited to just a made shot in two and a half minutes of third period action. The Spirits would edge out Averett 8-5 down the stretch, but the contest was firmly in the Cougars' grasp, holding a 51-28 advantage heading into the last period.
Team-wise, Averett had its best quarter shooting in the fourth, making eight of 16 field goals to lock down win number one in the 2024 season.
Emily Kusnic starred in the stanza, with five points throughout to lead the Cougars to a 72-38 victory.
Every player for Averett contributed to the scoring output, with Coleman leading the squad with her season-high in points, 15. Three Cougars tied for nine points, with
DaiShaundria Giggetts,
Patience Ifidon, and
Zariia America assisting in the effort. America also tallied her most rebounds as a Cougar thus far, with 11. Freshman Ifidon had her finest defensive game, tallying 10 rebounds.
Elsewhere,
Mariah Eberhardt led the team with five steals, and
Jaa Brown dished the ball with a team-high three assists.
The Cougars dominated the rebound margin 63-28, 27 of those being offensive. Averett shot a season-best 43.5 percent from the field versus Salem.
Next, the Cougars open up conference play at home versus Guilford College next Tuesday, Nov. 26. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
