FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Davion Ayabarreno poured in 25 points and the Methodist men's basketball team rallied for a 64-60 win over Roanoke on Saturday afternoon at the March F. Riddle Center.
 
Ayabarreno, who entered averaging 20.0 points for the Monarchs (4-1) was 8 of 13 from the field, including 3 of 5 from long range, for his third 20-point game of the season. Bryan Rouse added 16 points five assists, five rebounds and two steals, while Jackson Whitley contributed 10 points, 19 rebounds and six blocks. The 19 rebounds for Whitley marked a new career high.
 
The Monarchs jumped on the Roanoke (4-2) early, hitting each of their first three triples of the contest and racing out to a 15-6 lead early in the contest. Roanoke answered with an 11-0 spurt to take a 17-15 lead on a pair of free throws from Joey Miller with 8:37 left in the first half.
 
Neither team was able to seize control of the contest until late in the first half when Roanoke broke a 26-26 tie with an 8-2 run to close out the first half and take a 34-28 lead at the break.
 
After scoring the first bucket of the second half for a 36-28 lead, MU began chipping away at its deficit and a three-point play from Rouse with 8:14 to play gave the Green and Gold a 45-44 lead. From there, Methodist used a 13-2 burst capped by a Troynell Reese steal and layup to go up 58-46 with 4:11 on the clock.
 
Roanoke battled back to within three points (61-58) with under a minute to play, benefiting in part from a pair of lane violations by the Monarchs to keep the game within one possession. Ayabarreno twice split a pair of free throws in the game's waning moments and Roanoke was unable to find lighting in a bottle.
 
Neither team cracked 40.0 percent shooting as a squad, with MU checking in at 39.6 percent (21-53) and Roanoke at 36.4 percent (20-55). MU held a 34-33 edge on the glass.
 
CJ Miles led the Maroons with 19 points, Josh Freund added 12, and Jorden Davis contributed 10 off the bench. Freund also had a team-high seven rebounds and Miles had three steals.
 
The Monarchs are at Guilford on Wednesday beginning at 7 pm.