SALEM, Va. – Averett University women's basketball fell short of the season sweep of Roanoke College on Wednesday night, as they lost 63-48 in Salem.
Roanoke (11-11,5-8 ODAC) made its way out to a quick 9-4 start, but Averett (6-15, 2-11 ODAC) hung tough through the rest of the first quarter. Only outscored 8-7 through the rest of the period, the Cougars only trailed by six, 17-11.
Basketball on the floor became the Ashley Fowler and
Kiera Perkins show early in the second period, with the Maroon scoring five to Averett's four.
Elisa Harris then took the hot hand and scored the Cougars' five next points, but that was countered by Roanoke's collective 13 points from the 4:39 mark down until halftime, where the Maroons led 35-20.
Both teams remained dead even in the following period, with 16 collective points split between the two teams through five-plus minutes.
Zariia America was personally responsible for all of said points for the visitors. Following the sophomore guard's outburst, teammates
Kyjana Jordan and
Elisa Harris picked up the tally, and led the Cougars on a slight 4-2 run to only trail 46-32 heading into the final quarter.
Averett's pristine fourth quarter shooting of 4-6 from the field seemed to be the recipe needed for a comeback, but was thwarted by an identical point output from the home side. Down under five minutes and as the Cougars trailed by 13, time was of the essence.
Averett's shortage in scoring output from the earlier periods was enough for Roanoke to stave off the visitors. The Cougars were nearly dead even in the margins, and Averett even shot better from the field throughout the fourth, but the Maroons' sufficiency from previous periods proved fruitful by the conclusion.
America's third quarter surge propelled her to the team's top scorer on the night with 12 points.
DaiShaundria Giggetts gobbled up a game-high 12 boards and had four stocks. Jordan and Harris ran wild with steals, as both tallied three apiece.
For the final time this season, the Cougars contest a home game at the Grant Center on Saturday, Feb. 14 for its Senior Day against the University of Lynchburg. Start time is set for 2 p.m.
