DANVILLE, Va. – The script could not be written any better on opening night for the Averett University women's basketball team, grinding out a nail-biting contest with visitors Greensboro College. With the ball on the final possession and down a point, the Cougars' last-second shot did not go through, falling 77-76 to the Pride on Tuesday night.
Averett (0-1) got off to a stellar start, jumping to an 8-2 lead in the opening minutes with four points from star guard sophomore
DaiShaundria Giggetts. First-game jitters got the better of the Cougars as they struggled to pull away from the battling visitors of Greensboro (1-0), as the Pride brought the first quarter score, 16-12 in Averett's favor.
The Pride followed their previous efforts up with a 20-7 run that stretched nearly half of the second stanza, as Tatum Bradford willed Greensboro out to a nine-point lead, 32-23 with under three minutes to go until halftime.
Giggetts hit a three-ball to alleviate Greensboro's advantage, but the visitors outscored her by four, and the Pride headed into the locker rooms up 36-26 at the half.
The third quarter was both teams' best statistically, with Greensboro and Averett matching each other shot for shot. First, the Cougars got within one, scoring 14 points over three and a half minute of game time, led by sharpshooter
Emma Jones with five in this stretch.
At 41-40, tides seemed to shift, but the Pride and Bradford knocked down six of 10 three-pointers in the last six minutes to lead by nine, 62-51.
Up by as much as 14 to begin the last quarter, Greensboro seemingly had the game in hand, until the fighting Cougars clawed their way back, on both sides of the ball. Averett went seven of 14 from the field through nearly seven minutes down until the three-minute mark, and stonewalled the Pride, as they only made three field goals and committed five turnovers.
Crunch time awaited. Greensboro knocked down a floater, before Giggetts took over with a free throw and driving layup to pull Averett within one at 72-71. Once more, the two squads exchanged layups, as Greensboro led 74-73 with 1:18 remaining.
Taya Simpkins seemingly put the dagger in with an and-one to make the score 77-73 with 44 seconds remaining, but a free throw and Giggetts driving layup later made it a one-score game again, 77-76 with 36 seconds remaining.
Just one stop needed to have control of the ball until the buzzer sounded, the Cougars forced Greensboro into a shot-clock violation, and granted themselves one chance at victory. As the ball went out to the corner after the inbound, the attempted three-pointer fell short, and the Pride held on for the one-point win.
Averett paced Greensboro in field goal percentage (37.7%-35.4%), rebounds (52-46), and blocks (6-2). Giggetts picked up where she left off a few months prior, leading the team in points with 21, while also accruing six rebounds and three steals.
Lily Strittmatter nearly picked up a double-double in her first career collegiate game, with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Elsewhere on the defensive end,
Mariah Eberhardt had four steals, and
Brianna Sams recorded three blocks.
Zariia America dished the ball to a clean four assists.
Averett next heads down to Rocky Mount, North Carolina to take part in the Jean Edge Classic hosted by North Carolina Wesleyan University this upcoming weekend. The Cougars face off against hosts North Carolina Wesleyan on Saturday, November 15 for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
