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ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College Men's Basketball team used a buzzer-beating three-pointer from sophomore Tim Pettiford to knock off rival Averett University 69-68 on Friday afternoon and at least claim a share of the USA South's East Division regular season championship.

The win moves the Bishops to 11-5 overall and keeps them in first place at 8-2 in the East Division. Pfeiffer also has only two losses in the division as they play later this weekend. Wesleyan will now host an East Division Semifinal game on Wednesday. Time and opponent to be announced Sunday. 

Pettiford scored 8 points with 4 rebounds with all his points coming down the stretch in crucial moments.

Senior Damon McDowell led Wesleyan with 18 points and 4 assists as well as four three-pointers. He also had 6 rebounds and a block.

Junior forward Sal-Bey Young also had a good game scoring 13 points and a team-high 7 rebounds with an assist and a steal while fellow forward Isaiah Lewis was the other Bishop to finish in double-figures. Lewis had 10 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block.

Sophomore guard Brayden Dixon had a nice game as well scoring 8 points off the bench, all in the first half, as he helped Wesleyan out to a 40-30 lead at the break on 53 percent shooting. He also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block. Fellow guard, freshman Marquis Eskew scored 6 points off the bench as well while fellow freshman teammate, Khalid Chavis-Hinds totaled 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.

After Wesleyan held a 10-point lead at halftime, Averett would rally all the way back to take a six-point lead at 64-58 with just under 3 minutes to play. Wesleyan would then go on a game-ending 11-4 run with a three-point play from Young, a McDowell deep trey and layup that tied it at 66 with 20 seconds to play. Averett's Montre Cash gave the Cougars the short-lived two point lead with his floater with 2 seconds left before Pettiford won it with his heroics. 

 Video of game-winning shot is below: