After leading by as many as four points early, the Cougars (3-6) allowed Grove City (6-7) to battle back and close the half on a 12-2 run, which put Averett in a 45-34 hole as the teams headed to the locker room. The Cougars shot 55 percent, but it paled in comparison to the 65 percent shooting of GCC in the opening stanza. In the second half, the Cougars pulled to within seven points midway through the period. Billy Gardner hit a pair of free throws with 11:08 remaining in the contest to cut the deficit to 63-56, but it was as close as the Cougars would get.
Sterling Williams, who went 0-for-9 from behind the arc a night earlier, drained 5-of-7 3-point attempts. He tallied a game-high 25 points for the Cougars. Jeremy Haskins was the only other Cougar to reach double figures. He scored 10 points and added four rebounds. Cameron Brown and Lymon Gregory each netted eight, while Gardner and Andrew Boor accounted for six points each.
Ryan Eller led Grove City with 24 points, as Phil Bushre contributed with 21. The team was 10-of-19 from long range in the win.
Averett returns to action on Wednesday in their USA South Conference opener. The Cougars will face Ferrum College at 7:30 p.m. in the Grant Center.