FERRUM, Va. -- Davion Ayabarreno scored 26 points in leading the Methodist men's basketball team to a 79-71 win at Ferrum on Saturday afternoon.
 
Ayabarreno shot 8 of 11 from the field, including 4 for 4 from three-point range, and added five rebounds in helping MU improve to 14-8 overall and 8-3 in league play. Bryan Rouse added 16 points, and Rae Hall and Jackson Whitley each scored 10. Hall added six boards, Whitley had five with three blocks, and Troynell Reese chipped in six points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
 
Josh Dudley led the Panthers (10-11, 5-5) with 19 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Josh Grimard had 19 points and Jovon Miller added 12 points.
 
The Monarchs opened up a lead as large as 18 points (42-24) in the first half before the Panthers began steadily climbing back into the game.
 
Ferrum got to within 10 points (48-38) with just under 17 minutes to play on a triple from Marcus Huff. A jumper from Dudley with 11:11 on the clock made it an eight-point game (58-50), and the Panthers proceeded to go on a 9-3 run to pull within 61-59 on Rashad Reed's layup at the 8:47 mark.
 
Irving Aughburns answered with a layup and Whitley hit a three to push MU's lead to 66-59 with seven minutes to play. Ferrum got within two again, this time at 67-65 with 5:13 to play,  but a jumper by Whitley and two free throws from Ayabarreno gave MU a six-point lead and Ferrum never got closer than five the rest of the way.
 
Methodist shot 56.8 percent (25-44) from the floor, including 9 of 16 (.563) from long range. Ferrum was held to 40.6 percent (26-64) shooting from the field, including 22.7 percent (5-22) from deep. Rebounds were tied at 34-34 and MU turned the ball over 13 times to seven for the Panthers.
 
Methodist travels to William Peace for a 5:30 pm contest on Wednesday.