GREENSBORO, N.C. – In front of a packed house, the Greensboro College men's basketball team defeated Averett University 73-65 Saturday.
 
Greensboro (14-8, 8-3 USA South) trailed 10-5 five minutes into the game, but Simeon Howard and Lorenzo Marry combined for five unanswered points to tie the game at 10.
 
The two teams then traded baskets until the Cougars (15-8, 6-6 USA South) used a 6-0 run to establish an 18-15 lead.
 
Greensboro responded with a 7-0 run to regain the lead at 22-18. Joseph Gatling, who recorded a team-high 26 points, recorded one three-pointer during the run, while Parris Scales and Hamilton Hawkins combined for the other four points.
 
Later in the period, Averett used another 6-0 run to gain a 32-29 edge before going into halftime with a 34-31 lead.
 
Averett then stretched its lead out to 39-34 four minutes into the second half before Gatling connected on another three-pointer to spark a 5-0 Greensboro run to tie the contest.
 
With the game tied at 58 with five minutes left, the Pride outscored Averett 15-7 to secure the victory. Gatling accounted for nine of the final 15 points, while Simeon Howard chipped in four points. Donavan Griffith tallied two points.
 
"I was extremely proud of our guys tonight," Head Coach Bryan Galuski said. "They came out and gritted it out to come away with the win."
 
Howard, who was the only other Greensboro player to finish with double figures, finished with 20 points. Gatling also pulled down a team high 11 rebounds, while Marry dished out a team-high three assists.
 
The Pride men will return to the court at 3 p.m. Sunday against Piedmont College. For more information on Greensboro College men's basketball, continue to follow www.greensborocollegesports.com.