DANVILLE, Va. -- The Methodist men's basketball team had three players score in double figures in an 8-75 win at Averett on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Monarchs shot 55.2 percent as a team, knocking down 32-of-58 field goal attempts, and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line (15-18) to hold off the Panthers. MU improved to 11-12 on the season and remained at 6-6 in the conference as the game did not count toward the conference standings. Averett now stands at 14-8 on the year.
 
The Monarchs led by as many as 10 points (52-42) in the second half before a late run by the Cougars. A 9-2 spurt by Averett pulled AU to within three points (54-51) on Cody Stephens' triple with 7:52 left in the game. Methodist stretched its lead back out to eight points (62-54) as Chris Vinson converted a layup at the 4:53 mark but Averett continued to hang around.
 
James Contreras made good on a layup, but failed to complete the three-point play, and Trevor West knocked down a triple to get AU within three (62-59) once again with 4:39 to play. The MU lead stood at seven points (75-68) as the clock dipped below a minute to play and Bradley Robinson nailed a pair of free throws for the Cougars to make it a five-point game with 45 seconds left.
 
After Desmond Parker split a pair of free throws for a six-point edge, West scored inside for Averett to pull the Cougars within four (76-72) with 37 seconds left. An Averett foul sent Mike Major to the line where he drilled both charity tosses for a six-point lead. West continued to give AU life as he hit a three with 21 seconds to play that made it 78-75 in favor of the Monarchs.
 
On the ensuing possession, MU turned the ball over, giving Averett a chance to tie in the final seconds. Stephens missed a potential tying three pointer, but AU came away with the offensive rebound. After a stoppage in play, the Cougars had another shot to tie the game, but West missed a three with six seconds to play and T.J. Gill pulled down the rebound and then knocked down a pair of free throws to ice the contest.
 
Parker finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor, and 5-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe to lead the Monarchs. Major added 14 points and four steals, and Tabias Hilliard added 13 points and three assists with zero turnovers. Brandon Monk and Gill each scored nine points off the bench, and Jackson Whitley pulled down a team-best six rebounds.
 
The Cougars were led by West's 15 points, but he shot just 5-of-17 from the floor. Charles Bryant added 13 points, Stephens finished with 11, and Robinson and Carter Jones scored 10 points apiece. Bryant and Stephens each had a team-best six rebounds, and West had four assists.
 
Methodist plays its penultimate game of the regular season on Wednesday when it plays at N.C. Wesleyan beginning at 5:30 pm.