DANVILLE, Va. Methodist women's basketball narrowly beat out Averett University, 68-64, on Sunday afternoon in a USA South Athletic Conference game at the Grant Center.

With today's victory, the Monarchs earned their ninth conference win this season. This is the first time since the 2015-16 season that Methodist has gotten nine or more victories in USA South play.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Averett, 68-64
Records: Methodist 11-10 (9-6 USA South), Averett 4-17 (4-10)
Location: Grant Center; Danville, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a slow start by both sides to begin the contest, the Cougars would really get the game going with a jumper to go up 6-4. A three by Emmenia Lynch of the Monarchs put them back in front, 7-6, followed by Methodist outscoring Averett 6-3 over the next two minutes to get to a 13-9 score. In the last two minutes and 21 seconds of the first frame, the Cougars make seven final points.
• Averett kept that momentum going into the second quarter by scoring the first eight points and extending their scoring run to 15-0. Almost midway through the period, Aneesa Irizarry knocked down a pair of free throws for the Monarchs to end a 7:30 scoring drought with the score now 24-15.
• The Cougars increased the difference back to double digits off a bucket and a free throw. Just when it looked like Averett had everything going their way, both Lynch and Hannah Evan drained back-to-back three balls to get Methodist back into the game, 27-21. The Monarchs would claw their way back into the lead, 32-30, at the break after an 11-3 run over the last three minutes, including Lynch making two more three-pointers in the process.
• A fast start by the Cougars in the third period got them out to a 38-35 advantage before Lynch put down her sixth three to tie the game up. Methodist took over the lead once again, 45-44, after a layup by Kiley Hicks but that was shortly lived as Averett tied the ball game seconds later. The Monarchs closed the quarter on a 6-3 run to claim a 53-50 lead.
• Methodist's own Aniyah Tate and Zytipha Joines pushed the score to 57-51 early in the fourth but the Cougars responded back with a 7-0 spurt, 58-57. The final lead change of the game came with 1:12 left on clock, as the Monarchs were on the midst of a 7-0 run to take a 66-60 advantage and never looked back from that point on.

MORE TO IT

• Leading all scorer with 22 points was Lynch, which was also a new career-high as well. Other Methodist players that performed well were Tate, 18 pts. & seven rebs., and Hicks, 10 pts. & nine rebs.
• The Monarchs were red hot from behind the arc as they made 10 three-pointers on 23 attempts (43.5%). Lynch did especially well going 6-9 (66.7%) and came one three ball shy of matching the single-game record.
• Methodist got excellent help from the bench today, as 45 of the 68 total points came from the reserves.

UP NEXT

• Methodist heads back to Fayetteville for their final three homes games, of the regular season, starting on Wednesday against Meredith College at 7 PM.
• Averett is back in action on Wednesday when they travel to William Peace University for a USA South bout at 6 PM.