DANVILLE, Va.  Wednesday's 85-76 USA South Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over host Averett University clinched second place in the league standings for Methodist, a spot that includes a home playoff game in the conference's postseason tournament.

The victory, combined with a Wednesday loss by East Division third-place team William Peace University (12-12 overall, 8-8 USA South), sets up an opening-round match-up Tuesday evening in the Riddle Center, most likely against William Peace.

The game at Averett was in stark contrast to the two teams' earlier bout this season when the visiting Cougars broke out to a lead as large as 25 points in their wire-to-wire victory.

Wednesday the Monarchs scored first, trailed only at 8-6 early in the first half then never trailed again, owning the lead for 36 minutes and 26 seconds within the 40-minute contest.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. Averett, 85-76
Records: Methodist 12-12 (10-6 USA South), Averett 7-17 (7-9)
Location: E. Stuart James Grant Center; Danville, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Dante Burden's jumper at the 13:23 mark of the first half tied the score at 8-8, and an Averett turnover turned into a Burden layup to lift the Monarchs in front for good.
• Averett trailed by its largest margin, 34-21, late in the opening half but ran off an 8-0 streak to end the frame -- including a successful full-court desperation heave before the horn by Montré Cash -- to enter recess behind by just five.
• The Cougars trimmed the lead down to just two, 49-47, before Kaymon Mitchell took over the game for Methodist. He opened his 11-point streak with a layup and one. And after Burden dropped in a pair of free throws following a technical foul on the Averett bench, Mitchell pushed in layups on three consecutive possessions before adding a short jumper from inside the key.
• Mitchell's spark provided Methodist with a 62-51 advantage that held up down the stretch with perfect shooting by the Monarch from the free throw line.
• Methodist knocked down 12 consecutive free tosses over the final 3:40 of the game -- six by Burden, two by Garren Dearman, two by Kevin McLaughlin Jr. and two by Mitchell.
• For the game, Methodist was 24-of-29 (83 percent) from the charity stripe.

BOX NOTES

• Mitchell and Burden were a two-man wrecking crew in the offensive end for Methodist, each scoring game-high 24 points.
• Dearman added 12 points and tied for the team lead in rebounding with five, sharing honors with Mitchell.
• Burden dished out seven assists against just one turnover.
• Methodist was out rebounded, 32-20, but that difference was offset by a 30-for-48 (63 percent) night from the field. Those stellar numbers include a 1-for-8 night from behind the arc; Chris Pernell's 3-pointer in the early moments of the second half was the only long-range make of the game by Monarch shooters.
• Cash was the man for Averett, leading the Cougars with 23 points including a trio of 3-pointers, hitting a team-best 6-of-7 from the free-throw line, coming down with five rebounds, and registering a block and a steal.
• Bryson Davis led all rebounders with nine for the home team.

NEXT UP

• Methodist closes out the regular season with Senior Day on Saturday at home against N.C. Wesleyan, the East Division leader. The Monarchs graduate only one player, Pernell, who will be honored in a brief, pre-game ceremony at the Riddle Center.
• Averett, also locked into the postseason USA South tournament, host Berea College on Saturday in the Cougars' Senior Day.