The Hampden-Sydney College basketball team heads into the weekend’s Stephanie Tubbs Jones Basketball Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, having started its 2016 season right on Tuesday.

The Tigers opened their regular season schedule with a 70-63 victory over host Averett University, fueled by junior forward Nick Chase, who contributed a career-high 20 points at the Grant Center in Danville.

Hampden-Sydney shut down the Cougars from the three-point line, holding them to just three made triples on 13 attempts.

Averett shot 37.9 percent for the game, while the Tigers shot 43.1 percent.

Both teams struggled at the foul line as Hampden-Sydney made just half of its 26 attempts, and Averett converted 16 of 23.

H-SC held a 42-36 advantage on the boards.

Chase posted an efficient stat line, shooting 6-for-8 overall, 1-for-1 from three-point range and 7-for-9 from the foul line. He added five rebounds and a steal.

Tigers senior guard/forward Jake Duncan posted 15 points, going 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, to go with a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore point guard Logan Samuels contributed nine points and four rebounds, and junior center/forward Josh Katowitz tallied six points, six rebounds, a team-high four assists and one block.

The Tigers (1-0) make a rare trip to Ohio this weekend to participate in the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Basketball Tournament hosted by Case Western Reserve University. H-SC plays The College at Brockport-State University of New York on Friday at 6 p.m. and plays in either the consolation or championship game Saturday.