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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Averett's string of three consecutive USA South Conference Tournament championships came to an end with a 90-70 loss to top seed N.C. Wesleyan College on Friday at Christopher Newport University's Freeman Center.
A woeful start that included 17 first-half turnovers contributed to a 46-22 halftime deficit for Averett (10-16), which never recovered in the second half. N.C. Wesleyan 16-9 extended its lead to as much as 28 in the second half. Averett cut the Battling Bishops' lead down to 13 points with 3:13 to play before N.C. Wesleyan regained a 20-point cushion.
USA South Conference Player of the Year Trey Drake led all scorers with 22 points, along with seven assists. Lamont Stokes finished with 18 points for the Bishops, who shot almost 52 percent from the floor.
Averett freshman
Brandon Douglas scored a team-high 18 points and freshman
Michael St. John added 10 points off the bench.
N.C. Wesleyan established an early lead, but the Cougars hung within striking distance for most of the first half. However, in a little over four minutes late in the half, the Bishops turned a nine-point advantage into a 23-point lead.
Averett had advanced to four consecutive USA South championship games and won the last three. The last time the Cougars didn't make the championship game was in 2005, head coach
Jimmy Allen's first season. That year, Averett lost to N.C. Wesleyan in the semifinals in Greensboro, N.C.