Averett (5-8, 2-2 USA South) led 20-19 at the break as Shenandoah (11-5, 3-0) shot just 8 for 25 in the first half (32.0 percent). This total included an 0 for 6 performance from behind the arc.
Fortunately for Shingleton Gymnasium fans, senior Chris Rhone came alive following the break. Rhone scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the second half as SU shot 46.7 from the field (14 for 30) to pull away from the pesky Cougars.
The two teams traded the lead seven times in the second half and were tied on two others before Shenandoah finally took the lead for good on a Kenny Purnell three-pointer with 7:32 left.
Purnell's basket was part of a 10-2 run that gave SU a 43-37 lead with 6:10 remaining; Averett got as close as three-points after a Cameron Brown trey at the 5:27 mark, but Shenandoah scored the next four points to ice the contest.
In addition to Rhone's 19, Purnell and Onyie Onunaku each had 14 to lead the hosts in the scoring column.
Sterling Williams had 12 and Andrew Boor 11 for the Cougars.
http://www.su.edu/athletics/mb/200405/012405.htm "> Box Score/Play by Play
Shenandoah hosts Ferrum College Wednesday evening in a USA South Conference matchup.
Newspaper Box Score Averett Cougars vs Shenandoah Hornets 1/24/05 7:30 at Shingleton Gymnasium - Winchester, Va. At Shingleton Gymnasium - Winchester, Va. SHENANDOAH HORNETS 59, AVERETT COUGARS 49 AVERETT COUGARS (5-8, 2-2) WILLIAMS, Sterling 4-9 4-4 12; BOOR, Andrew 4-8 3-3 11; GARDNER, Billy 2-10 4-5 8; GREGORY, Lymon 3-7 0-0 6; HASKINS, Jeremy 3-3 0-0 6; BROWN, Cameron 1-6 0-0 3; McDANIEL, Cory 1-2 0-0 2; LOVITT, Kory 0-0 1-2 1; HAMMOND, Luke 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 12-14 49. SHENANDOAH HORNETS (11-5, 3-0) RHONE, Chris 6-13 7-9 19; ONUNAKU, Onyie 4-9 6-6 14; PURNELL, Kenneth 6-16 0-0 14; LAWRENCE, Jeremiah 3-6 0-1 6; MILLER, Patrick 2-2 0-0 4; JENKINS, Chris 1-5 0-0 2; JOHNS, Steven 0-1 0-0 0; HALE, Jared 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 22-55 13-16 59. Averett Cougars............... 20 29 - 49 Shenandoah Hornets............ 19 40 - 59 3-point goals-Averett Cougars 1-11 (BROWN, Cameron 1-3; BOOR, Andrew 0-1; GREGORY, Lymon 0-3; McDANIEL, Cory 0-1; HAMMOND, Luke 0-1; WILLIAMS, Sterling 0-2), Shenandoah Hornets 2-11 (PURNELL, Kenneth 2-5; JENKINS, Chris 0-2; JOHNS, Steven 0-1; HALE, Jared 0-1; RHONE, Chris 0-2). Fouled out--Averett Cougars-HASKINS, Jeremy, Shenandoah Hornets-None. Rebounds-Averett Cougars 28 (BOOR, Andrew 7; GARDNER, Billy 7), Shenandoah Hornets 36 (LAWRENCE, Jeremiah 10). Assists-Averett Cougars 4 (McDANIEL, Cory 2), Shenandoah Hornets 8 (JOHNS, Steven 2; JENKINS, Chris 2; RHONE, Chris 2). Total fouls-Averett Cougars 19, Shenandoah Hornets 18. A-467