FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Averett University women's basketball showed major tenacity towards the tail-end of its Saturday afternoon contest at the University of Mary Washington, but a late run from the Eagles was enough to upend the Cougars, 67-58.
The two squads battled through the first period, with Averett keeping the game to a two-point margin, down 10-8 almost halfway through. The Cougars, in help to solid field-goal shooting, remained in distance down 15-12 later on, but the Eagles slightly pulled away later. Mary Washington hit a pair of threes, along with a few free throws, ending the quarter on an 8-4 run to lead 23-14.
Averett came out with more offensive intensity as the periods flipped. Leading team scorer
DaiShaundria Giggetts took matters into her own hands, with four points of her own helping the Cougars maintain pace with the home side. The Eagles utilized effective foul plays to sink multiple free throws, and lead 27-20 at the media timeout with under five minutes remaining.
Mary Washington once more continued to get to the foul line, and sunk six more to edge out Averett for roughly the next three minutes, with a nine-point advantage, 32-23. The Cougars would then sink three straight shots, using said momentum to close the contest's gap to six points at halftime, 35-29.
Despite the deficit, the away side made more field goals, 10-8. Averett also edged Mary Washington in rebounds through two quarters, 20-17. Giggetts led all scorers thus far with 11.
Scoring 11 of the next 13 points in the third period, the Eagles took off, and held their largest lead of the game, 46-31, near the mid-period media timeout. Down the stretch, the Cougars' defense locked down Mary Washington, holding the home side to just 2-7 shooting in the last five minutes of the third. Averett's offense maintained tempo, sinking multiple jump shots, including a
Jaa Brown and-one. Mary Washington still lead by 13, heading into the final quarter.
Zariia America made her presence known in the fourth, leading Averett with a personal 6-0 run to cut its lead to just seven, 53-46. A few foul line makes and a field goal made from the visitors thereafter, and the Eagles' lead was zapped to just three, 54-51.
Mary Washington's next counter was the decider, using fouls once more to its advantage. To the tune of nine free throw makes, and 13 points overall, the Eagles pulled away late, defeating the Cougars by the 67-58 mark.
Averett led in overall field-goal makes and field-goal percentage, with 21 and a 45.7 percent clip, respectively. The Cougars edged out the Eagles in the rebound margin, 35-34.
Giggetts and America tied for the team-high in points with 13 each. The aforementioned Giggetts and Brown had a productive day on the boards, with six apiece, and Brown led in assists for Averett with three. Giggetts added on the defensive side, with two steals and a block.
Averett hosts its last home contest of 2024 on Monday, Dec. 16, as Johnson & Wales University (N.C.) comes to the Grant Center for a non-conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
