WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise men's basketball returns to Wise for a non-conference matchup with NCAA Division III opponent Averett University Thursday at 12 p.m.
 
Storylines – vs. Averett University
The Cavaliers host "Kids Day 2015" in the David J. Prior Convocation Center Thursday afternoon as approximately 2,500 school-aged children from Wise County attend the event. UVa-Wise holds a 4-2 all-time record against the visiting Cougars with the last contest being played between the two schools during the 1997-98 season when Averett University was known as Averett College and UV-Wise was Clinch Valley College.
 
The Cougars are off to a 7-2 start and have won four of their last five games, however, Averett most recently suffered a 77-60 setback at home against Lynchburg College. Eight of Averett's first 10 games this season have been away from home, the Cougars are 4-1in true road games this year and 2-0 in neutral-site contests. UVa-Wise is Averett's second to last non-conference game of the season as the Cougars begin USA South play Jan. 2.
 
Averett is led by junior guard/forward Charles Bryant who is averaging 14.2 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. Senior guard Trevor West leads the Cougars in assists with 3.8 per game while both senior guard/forward Bradley Robinson (11.7 ppg) and sophomore guard James Contreras Jr. (11.4 ppg) are double-digit scorers. Head Coach David Doino is guiding Averett in his second year at the helm of the program after posting a 18-9 (11-3 USA South) record in his first season, leading the team to the 2014-15 USA South Conference regular season championship. UVa-Wise assistant coach Drew Absher's younger brother, Davis, is a senior guard for the Cougars.
 
About UVa-Wise
UVa-Wise is seeking its second win of the season against non-NCAA Division II opponents, having taken down NAIA Montreat College (N.C.) 104-76 at home on Nov. 30.
 
The Cavs are coming off of a tough out at NCAA Division I and Big South Conference leader High Point University this past Sunday. Despite falling 111-74 in the road exhibition contest the Cavs showed improved shooting and rebounding, holding a three-point lead at the 8:45 mark of the first half after a shocking 13-0 run that included three straight three-pointers. UVa-Wise even held a one-point lead as late as the six-minute mark of the opening half before HPU pulled away from the Cavs in the second half. The Cavs shot 42.3 percent (11-for-26) from distance in Sunday's game and were only outrebounded by 12 against the taller Panthers.
 
Senior forward Matt Day enters tomorrow's contest averaging a team-leading 18.6 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. Day, currently at 1,118 career points, only needs 20 more points to move into the top 20 on UVa-Wise's all-time scoring list. Starting sophomore guard Philip Owens II (12.8 ppg) and sophomore forward Dimitri Sousa (10.5 ppg) are both double-digit scorers for the Cavs as well.
 
Following tomorrow's game the Cavs will welcome 14th-ranked King University to the Prior Center Sunday for a 3 p.m. tip.