Men’s Basketball Survives Averett Comeback Bid in Senior Day Win
Edwards scores career-high as one-of-five Quakers to score double-digits
from Bryce Johnson, Director of Athletic Communications
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford College men’s basketball team (19-6, 12-4 ODAC) celebrated Senior Day in style, as five different players, including four seniors, scored double-digits to hold off Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) foe Averett University (8-17, 3-13 ODAC), 81-71, in their regular season finale on Saturday evening on Jack Jensen Court.
The Quakers complete the regular season with a 12-4 conference record, even with Virginia Wesleyan University who blitzed the University of Lynchburg in overtime to hold off the Hornets upset bid, 75-66. As a result, with the Marlins holding the head-to-head tiebreaker, Guilford drops to the fifth seed entering the ODAC Tournament and will head up to Virginia Beach on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM.
Superb shooting was on display from both sides in this one with GC converting at a .547 rate and making 8-of-20 from three while the Cougars shot .574 from the field and went 10-for-17 from distance. The differences would come else where as the Quakers enjoyed one of their best nights at the free throw line both in terms of volume and percentage making 15-of-17 against AU’s 7-for-8. The other big edge was points off turnovers with the hosts turning 17 takeaways into 25 points against 13 points off 10 takeaways for the guests.
Nick Farrar (Apex, N.C.) led all players in scoring for the third-straight game, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-17. Dawson Edwards (Durham, N.C.) made every shot he took, both from the field and at the charity stripe, on his way to a career-high 13. Caleb Farrish (McLeansville, N.C.) matched his output adding a team-high five boards. Gabe Proctor (Apex, N.C.) pitched in a dozen and Luke Proctor (Apex, N.C.) stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, a team-high five assists, four steals, and a block.
Bryce Shaw paced the Cougars with 18 points making all seven of his shots in reserve. Jason Sellars II(Page High School) had 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds while Jamison Graves pitched in a baker’s dozen with a team-best five helpers. Josh Lewis rounded out double-digit scorers with 11 points.
Prior to the opening tip, Guilford honored the four seniors and three graduate students on this year’s squad, Edwards, Farrar, Farrish, Luke Proctor, C.J. Cormack (Greensboro, N.C.), Chase Ellis (Douglasville, Ga.), and Bobby Samples (Brighton, Mich.).
Then the game began and scoring came early and often. Guilford staked themselves to the rapid advantage with a Luke Proctor layup just over two minutes in putting the Quakers in front, 4-2, and the game would never get even again. GC extended their edge to 17-9 entering the first media timeout. After Averett cut it to three, the hosts went on a quick 8-0 burst with threes from Caleb Furr (Warrenton, Va.) and Farrish to get the lead to double-digits for the first time, although the visitors cut it to 30-22 at the under-seven break.
Taking advantage of miscues, GC scored three-straight baskets off turnovers out of the stoppage, and kept their lead in double-figures for a stretch. Edwards cashed in a three with 74 seconds left, but Averett got a quick eight-point burst, returning to striking distance at the half with the score 41-34.
The first ten minutes of the second half saw the adversaries trading hoops with the lead alternating between one and two possessions as Guilford could not get much room but Averett could not get even. Finally, beginning around the 9:30 mark, Farrish made two free throws, Edwards made a layup, and Luke Proctor made a three to make the lead ten with eight to play.
The Cougars chipped away after that and got to within six points at one time, but Guilford made all six of their free throws over the final five minutes to keep AU at bay and finish the 81-71 victory.
It will be the Quakers and the Marlins in the ODAC Semifinals for the second-straight year next up in Virginia Beach. Tipoff is 7:00 PM on Wednesday.
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