Box Score The Maryville College men's basketball team dropped their sixth consecutive challenge after a back-and-forth battle with Averett University on Saturday evening. The Cougars rallied in the second half to claim the USA South match up by the score of 78-75 in MC's Boydson Baird Gymnasium.
In the first half, Averett out rebounded the Scots 21-14 behind Devontae Pannell's six boards. Carter Jones was 4-for-6 in the post for eight points while Maryville countered with Spencer Shoffner's nine points on the senior's 4-for-8 shooting. The Cougars went to the intermission with a 34-31 advantage behind a 48-percent shooting effort from the floor.
Maryville's Spencer Shoffner helped the Scots keep pace in the second half with a 16-point, six rebound effort, but the Cougars pulled away after hitting 50-percent from the field (15-for-30) while the Scots could only hit 39-percent (11-for-28) of their shots. Averett's Bradley Robinson closed the game with a 5-for-10 shooting effort for 11 second half points.
Maryville (12-9, 3-7 USA South) fell to 10th place in the current USA South standings with the loss. Four Scots finished with double digit scoring. Shoffner led all scorers with 25 points while bringing down a game-high seven rebounds. Jay Bowyer tossed in 14 points while Emier Bowman and Tyler Spicer contributed 11 and 10 points respectively.
Averett (15-7, 5-6 USA South) was paced by Carter Jones' 7-for-12 effort in the paint for a team-high 15 points. Saadiq Johnson added 12 while Robinson finished with 11 with Charles Bryant finishing with a game-high seven rebounds.
"Each and every one of our players are playing hard," stated MC head coach Randy Lambert. "Our staff challenged our upperclassmen and I feel Spencer (Shoffner) stepped up today. It was great seeing Emier (Bowman), Emanuelle (Garcia), and Tyler (Spicer) giving quality minutes tonight. We are young and hope to put it together soon."
The Scots will look to snap their streak next weekend when they travel to Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama and LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia for a pair of USA South challenges.
