NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 15th-ranked Captains put together one of its most balanced performances of the season as the team cruised past Averett University (7-9, 3-4) in mid-week conference action tonight, 76-52. CNU improves to 14-2 overall, 7-1 against the USA South, powered behind a dominant 44-23 opening stanza.

Thirteen different Captains factored into the scorebook and for the first time this season, a different player other than Tra Benefield, Mike Cherry and Nik Biberaj finished as the game's leading scorer. Rookie Connor Laframboise took the honors, scoring 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting with three three-pointers, leading a group of seven players with five or more. 

CNU fell behind, 5-0, in the early going, but then blasted past the Cougars with a 19-1 run. Senior Jon Snead was a big catalyst in the run, grabbing three rebounds and two steals while adding three points and an assist. 

A pair of Paul Porter free-throws slowed the run, but CNU continued to add to it, as Laframboise had an open look underneath off a pass from Biberaj and then knocked down a three-pointer to make the lead 26-8 with just over seven minutes remaining in the half. The Captains defense continued to force tough shots and Averett would finish the half with just 23 points on eight made field goal attempts. The Cougars shots just 22.2% from the floor in the first half. CNU scorched for 53.3% from the field in the first half, knocking down 16-of-30 attempts, including 8-of-16 from long range. 

The second half was played much closer, with the Captains cooling down from the floor and Averett's shooting getting progressively better. Still, the CNU defense held the Cougars to just 26.4% from the floor (19-72) while hitting 43.1% (28-65) on their own end. The Captains hit 12 three-pointers, from six different players. Cherry and Laframboise each went 3-5 from long range, while Benefield and Snead each hit a pair. 

Laframboise led a group of three Captains in double figures, as Cherry finished with 11 and Benefield added 10. Biberaj finished with eight points and 11 rebounds and senior Paul Meredith added six assists. CNU had 16 assists on 28 made baskets in the game. 

Averett senior Justin Pierce joined the 1,000-point club for the Cougars with 16 points; he needed 14 coming into the game. Trevor West finished with 12 rebounds and eight points while Paul Porter added nine points.

The Captains return to action this weekend as they host Methodist University at 4:00 pm. Live stats and live video will be available at CNUsports.com.