RALEIGH, N.C. - Meredith College senior Danielle Lee posted a career-high 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Avenging Angels downed the visiting Averett Cougars 82-64 Saturday in USA South action. Meredith dominated on the boards with 51 to Averett's 35.

The teams remained close throughout the first half with the score tied at 20 with 5:53 left in the period.

Meredith scored the next eight points along with a trio of three-pointers to take a seven-point advantage into the intermission.

In the first possession of the second stanza, Laquetta Hairston found Brittaney Rice on the wing for another three to extend Meredith's lead to double digits.

AU's Jessica Myers scored a layup on the next play, and Meredith turned the ball over at the other end. Myers dribbled the length of the floor to score inside once more. She was fouled on the play and hit her freebie to cut the Cougar deficit to five at 18:31.

Averett continued to push the ball up the floor and put together a 7-0 run two minutes later to pull to within one point with 16:30 left in regulation.

But Kim Hinton knocked down back-to-back layups, and Lee dished off to Raven Gregory for a third to spread the gap quickly back to seven. During the next 1:46 Lee and Nicole Miller found their posts again to keep the Angels out front.

With 12:13 left on the clock, Lee found Hayes on the wing for one behind the arc, and Miller picked up a steal in the backcourt to give the ball back to Meredith. 

Hayes recovered a missed three-pointer from Miller and finished a three-point play to push Meredith's lead to 13 with less than 12 minutes to play.

Lee continued to drive the Angels with her tenacious rebounding effort and strong passes to keep the Cougars down for good.

Lee's near triple-triple included 13 points on the day, and Hayes posted her first double-double of the season as well with 13 points, 10 boards. Hinton led the Angels with 14 points, and Gregory finished with 10 points, seven rebounds.

Samm Chandler led Averett with a game-high 17 points, and Myers posted six assists to go along with 10 points in the loss.

Meredith hosts the USA South North division leader Greensboro College Sunday in a 2 p.m. contest.

A special thanks to the nationally acclaimed YMCA Super Skippers jump rope squad who treated fans with a stellar halftime performance during today's event.

Post game interview with Lee