ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. On the second day of a back-to-back at the Jean Edge Classic, the Methodist women's basketball team walked away with a 16-point win over Averett University. The Monarchs had a trio of scorers in double figures on the way to their first win of the season on Sunday.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Averett, 72-56
Records: Methodist 1-1, Averett 1-2
Location: Everett Gymnasium; Rocky Mount, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Methodist and Averett battled to a 6-6 split through four minutes of the first quarter before a three-pointer by Melissa D'Oleo sparked a 7-0 run for the Monarchs. The Cougars sank a three-pointer of their own to make the score 13-9 with under 3:30 in the period. Rebecca McGaughnea and Kiley Hicks recorded jumpers on consecutive Methodist possessions to put the Monarchs ahead by eight, and Alana Jones drilled a three to cap off another 7-0 run.
• The Monarchs scored the first five points of the second quarter to extend their lead to 16 points. After a couple of scores by both teams, Jillian Peterson knocked down a shot from behind the arc to give Methodist a 17-point edge (32-15) with 3:47 left in the half. The Cougars responded with a three on the other end of the court, then hit one more to go along with a pair of two-point scores for the Monarchs.
• The first ten points of the third quarter for Methodist were scored by D'Oleo (four) and Hicks (six) as the duo put the Monarchs up by 18 just over three minutes into the period. After a free throw by Averett, Methodist's Jessica Drake recorded a three to boost her team's lead to 20 (49-29) with more than five and a half minutes left in the quarter, and a layup by D'Oleo a few possessions later made the difference 22 points. The Monarchs led by as many as 23 before the Cougars scored the final four points of the quarter.
• Both teams began the fourth quarter with two misses, but it was Drake who made the first basket of the period – a three ball. As Methodist led 63-41 with seven minutes to go, Averett pieced together a 9-0 run to decrease its deficit to 13. The Monarchs recorded the next two baskets – layups by Drake and Aniyah Tate – to stop the skid and make Methodist's lead 17 (67-50) with just over four minutes left in the game. The teams traded one shot each inside the arc and one each beyond the three-point line before the Cougars sank one final free throw to get within 16.

MORE TO IT

• Junior Melissa D'Oleo led all Methodist scorers with a career-high 16 points, topping her previous best of 13.
• Jessica Drake and Kiley Hicks followed closely with 14 points apiece, while Hicks also tied her career high of 14 rebounds, notching the eighth double-double of her collegiate career.
• Methodist dominated the paint, scoring 36 points in that area compared to Averett's 14 points in the paint. The Monarchs also recorded 30 points off turnovers, while the Cougars recorded just eight of such.

UP NEXT
Methodist faces its first USA South test on Friday as the Monarchs travel to Buena Vista, Va. to take on the Knights of Southern Virginia University. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.