FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Information Director
(540) 365-4306
 
January14, 2004
 
 
Ferrum Sweeps Averett in USA South Basketball
Triplett, Smith, Aigbe Shine in League Wins
 
Ferrum, Va. – Ferrum College swept Averett University in a USA South Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader tonight at home.  The women squeaked by, 69-66, while the men picked up a 78-70 win in the nightcap.

          Women's Box Score
          Men's Box Score
 
In the women's game, junior Amber Triplett (Bassett, Va./Bassett), pictured at right, scored 13 of Ferrum's first 18 points but the Panthers still trailed 34-30 at halftime.  The Panthers outscored Averett 39-32 in the second half for the win.  Triplett had 19 points to lead all scorers.

Senior Tanisha Durham (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) scored 12 points, moving her into second place on Ferrum's all-time scoring list.  Durham now has 1,327 career points and now needs 57 points to tie and 58 to break the career scoring record of 1,384 points, set by 2003 graduate Tina McBride last season.  Junior Tara Toland (North, S.C./North) added 10 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and three steals.  


In the men's game, Ferrum trailed 38-33 at halftime, and by as many as eight points in the second half.  The Panthers outscored Averett 45-32 in the second half to win the USA South opener.
 
Senior Kevin Aigbe (Nashville, Tenn./Volunteer State) and sophomore Chris Smith (Roanoke, Va./Northside) led all scorers with 17 points each.  Smith was 5-10 from behind the three-point line.  Aigbe, pictured at left, was 9-10 at the free-throw line.  Freshman Kendrick Holley (Winston-Salem, N.C./North Forsyth) added 13 points and nine rebounds in the win.  

With the win, Ferrum's women improve to 6-5 overall and remains unbeaten in the USA South at 2-0, while Averett falls to 1-8 overall and 0-2 in league play.  The Ferrum men improve to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the USA South, while Averett remains winless at 0-10, 0-1 in the USA South.
 
Ferrum plays next at Methodist College this Saturday in another USA South doubleheader.  The women's game is set to begin at 2 p.m. with the men to follow at 4 p.m. in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  For more information, please contact the Ferrum College sports information office at (540) 365-4306.
 
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