WINCHESTER, Va. - The men's and women's basketball teams were unable to extend their respective winning streaks Saturday afternoon as Averett College took both ends of a men's and women's Dixie Conference doubleheader.

Averett took the women's contest 77-65 and then completed the sweep with a 97-96 victory in the men's game.

In the women's contest, SU (7-8, 2-4) shot just 11 for 40 (27.5 percent) in the game to allow the Lady Cougars (2-15, 1-5) to earn their first Dixie Conference win of the season. Averett took a 38-27 lead into halftime, and held off a furious Hornets rally to win for just the second time all season long.

Junior Wendy Legge (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) had 20 points and senior Carrie Weimer (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport) added 16 for the women, who were without the services of sophomore Adina Trammel (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County). Trammel, the team's leading rebounder, missed the game after coming down with a kidney infection this past week. She is expected back for Tuesday's game versus Villa Julie.

The men's game was an exciting one, as the two teams exchanged the lead several times in the final minutes of the contest before Averett finally pulled out the one point win. Down 97-94 with seven seconds remaining, Shenandoah (7-11, 1-5) inbounded the ball at midcourt following a time-out. Junior Ronald Merriwether (Frankfurt, Germany) was then fouled on 3-point attempt with two seconds remaining. Merriwether canned the first two free throws before Averett (8-8, 4-2) called time-out in a effort to freeze him. The tactic worked, as Merriwether's shot bounced off the front rim and the Hornets were unable to grab the rebound in time.

Merriwether and senior Ted Davis (Clifton Forge, Va./Allegheny) shared high point honors with 27 points each while Craig Shelton (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) added 15 and Jacob Bates (Berryville, Va./Clarke County) 11.

Complete box scores can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/wb/200001/012701.htm for the women and http://www.su.edu/athletics/mb/200001/012701.htm for the men.

The men are off until Saturday, when they travel to Christopher Newport University for a Dixie Conference contest while the women host Villa Julie in a non-league game on Tuesday. Game time is 7:00.

Shenandoah University offers 16 intercollegiate sports, eight for men and eight for women. For further information, please contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 540-665-5417 or visit our web site at http://www.su.edu/athletics. For Dixie Conference Information, please visit the Dixie Conference home page: http://www.dixieconference.com.

Shenandoah University is a comprehensive Level V private university with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students in five schools: School of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Nursing, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant). The University offers more than 60 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels