DANVILLE, Va. – Led by a 6-10 shooting night from sophomore forward
Tyler Stephens, the Averett University men's basketball team escaped a ferocious Mary Baldwin University front for a 66-60 win on Monday night at the Grant Center in the team's season opener.
Mary Baldwin (0-2) held serve first, as the Fighting Squirrels came out on a 13-7 start, as DJ Via started with 10 points. Senior guard
Timayahs Bracey made two straight three-pointers to help keep pace for Averett (1-0).
The tides gradually shifted in favor of the Cougars. With their strong defensive strategy and efficiency in getting to the foul line, Averett took off on a 17-6 run, courtesy of Bracey's eight points in that stretch. Drawing constant fouls in the paint, the home side made 7-8 free throws, a trend that continued later in the contest.
Both teams split the next 12 points scored going into the half, as Averett held a narrow 34-29 lead. The Cougars utilized 13 free throw attempts to their advantage, as they made 11 in the first 20 minutes.
Averett looked to run away with the game, as it held Mary Baldwin to just two made field goals in the opening seven and a half minutes of the second period. The Cougar unit held their own with five field goals in that same stretch, as Stephens, senior guard
Josh Seiler, Bracey, and freshman forward
Corbin Guerry contributed to 14 points to help the home team establish a 48-35 advantage.
The Fighting Squirrels chipped away in the following seven minutes of play; as the Cougars went cold, Mary Baldwin caught fire. Forcing three Averett turnovers and a 15-6 run culminated in the Cougars' lead being shrunk to two, 54-52, with four minutes to play.
Following that play, the fighting Squirrels continues on offense, but Stephens timed the opponents' pass perfectly, swiping the ball away, and took off for Averett's only dunk of the evening, but a pivotal one to double the Cougars' lead.
Stephens called his number once more; as Bracey found him in the corner for what seemed to be the most important outside shot made of the night, as Averett stretched its advantage to 59-53 with two minutes and change remaining. Followed by junior guard/forward
Timothy Robinson and two icy free throws, the Cougars were up 61-55.
Mary Baldwin had its say right after, with two straight field goals, which included an and-one; and the Fighting Squirrels were within three at 63-60. That was the closest the visitors were to Averett late, as Bracey and Robinson sealed the deal with three combined foul shot makes, and a six-point victory at the sound of the final buzzer.
The aforementioned Stephens had the best field-goal percentage on the night for Averett, as he finished with 21 points, a team-high four assists, and a game-leading five steals. Bracey topped all scorers with 21, and five out of six free throws made.
Robinson turned in a true "junkyard dog" debut in an Averett uniform, falling two rebounds shy of a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds. He also had three converted swipes and made an astonishing 10 out of 12 from the line.
Skogen hauled in nine rebounds for the Cougars, and also had two assists. As a team, they had their most efficient night from the line with at least 27 free throws attempted since Feb, 7, 2026, when Averett made 26 of 32 free throws versus Bridgewater.
The Cougars trek down to Greensboro, N.C., for its USA South reunion tour on Nov. 11, when they take on Greensboro College. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
