ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Featuring 18 lead changes throughout, Averett University women's basketball waned late in the fourth, losing 59-51 to Methodist University on Sunday afternoon at the Jean Edge Classic.
Averett (0-3) came out of the gates sluggish, and Methodist (1-2) took advantage by outscoring the Cougars 17-8 in the first 10 minutes of play. Leading scorer Eva McRae and company swarmed Averett and forced multiple turnovers to lead by nine.
Shrugging off its struggles of yesteryear, the Cougars did not seem to blink once through the second period, rolling back to tie the game at 17-17 with over five minutes to go. After that, the Cougars grooved into halftime, reaching the 26-point mark and led the Monarchs by three.
The entirety of the second quarter was all Averett, tripling Methodist's scoring output 18-6, led by a pair of three-pointers from
Emma Jones. The aforementioned junior led the team in scoring at the break,
Zariia America grabbed four boards, and
DaiShaundria Giggetts was in her swiping ways with three steals.
Averett continued its run in the third quarter by stretching its lead out to 34-27, before Methodist got hot again to flip the script, and go back up 38-36 with just over two minutes before the periods switched. Just like it has been for their first few games so far, the Cougars turned this game into a dogfight, trading buckets back and forth with Methodist, and willed itself back to the lead again at 41-40.
The Monarchs refused to relent, and replied back with a layup late to flip the lead once more to 42-41 in Methodist's favor, the seventh lead change of the game before the fourth quarter even started.
Freshman
Lily Strittmatter served as the sparkplug for Averett, scoring the Cougars' opening five points of the fourth quarter to place them up 46-42, before the Monarchs tied the game up again at 46 shortly after. Methodist followed that up with a quick 4-0 run, with time beginning to run out for Averett.
Giggetts scored a layup to alleviate the Cougars' deficit, but Methodist ran itself into the bonus, and distanced themselves away with various free throw makes from the charity stripe. Giggetts, once more knocked down a layup to make the score 56-51 in the Monarchs' favor. Methodist then wrapped the game up with more free throws, downing the Cougars 59-51 to end the Jean Edge Classic for both teams.
Giggetts continued her opening season streak of double-digit points to three with 14 points today, along with four rebounds and four steals. America neared a double-double for the second game straight with nine points and 10 rebounds.
Averett returns back home to the Grant Center to take on its fourth former USA South opponent in a row, Pfeiffer University, on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
