DANVILLE, Va.  Kaneya Chambers posted a game-best 17 points and Tyzarea Alexander came away with a game-high eight rebounds, but Methodist was not able to overcome a sluggish third quarter in falling, 76-73, to host Averett University on Saturday afternoon in USA South Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Grant Center.

Averett used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to erase a 10-point deficit, then never trailed again though it had to fight past three ties in the fourth quarter.

Chambers was one of five Monarchs to score in double figures against the Cougars, but the home team registered 48 points from its bench against just 11 from the Methodist subs in taking the conference victory.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Averett def. Methodist, 76-73
Records: Methodist 2-6 (1-2 USA South), Averett 4-4 (2-1)
Location: Grant Center, Danville, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The frustrating third quarter malaise put the Monarchs in catch-up mode. But they pulled themselves to the brink of a full reversal late in the game when, in the final minute, Kodi Centry deposited a layup in from the left side, off a Chandler True seeing-eye baseline pass from the right, to inch within 72-70 with 41.1 seconds remaining.
• Averett's next time down the floor resulted in a trip to the free-throw stripe where Brooke Carthon missed both of her attempts. Amaini Ajayi was in the right place after the second miss, coming down with the rebound and going right back up for a layup that pushed the Cougars' lead to four points with 29 seconds remaining.
• A Chambers layup trimmed the deficit in half, but the 19 seconds left on the clock proved to be too short for Methodist to complete its rally.
• A tight game -- Averett  led only 18-17 after the opening quarter, and the teams were separated by no more than three points heading into the final 100 seconds of the second quarter -- opened up late in the second when the Monarchs closed the quarter on an 8-0 run for a 39-31 halftime lead.
• Alexander notched half the points in that run while Katlin Kendrick and Kayla Goldsmith scored two points apiece, and Logan Lee and Goldsmith contributed one steal each.
• A Chambers layup to open third-quarter scoring upped the advantage to double digits, but Methodist would suffer a five-minute scoring drought that allowed the Cougars to rally for the eventual victory.

BOX IT UP

• Chambers added six rebounds to her game-best scoring effort during the loss.
• Alexander finished with 12 points, and Lee, True and Centry racked up 11 points apiece.
• Alexis Roccia (13 points), Camryn Lunsford (11) and Ajayi (11) were the only Cougars in double figures, but 12 players scored for the home team -- nine of whom scored at least four points.
• Averett finished with a 21-14 edge in points from turnovers, and piled up 37-31 and 23-11 advantages in rebounds and second-chance points, respectively.

NEXT UP

• Methodist heads to Lexington, Kentucky, for the Pat Deacon Tournament at Transylvania University on December 28-29.
• Averett will participate in the Dec. 17-18 Ferrum College Invitational.