By Caleb Miller |Contributor
The Augusta Jaguars lost to USC Aiken 79-76 in a tightly contested Peach Belt Conference game on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at Christenberry Fieldhouse.Despite the Jags’ efforts, the Pacers further established their position at No. 1 in the conference, edging the Jaguars, who entered the game tied for second place in the league (and had won seven of their previous eight), in front of 2,005 spectators.“We fought hard, but you know, we just got to learn from it,” said AU senior forward Deane Williams after the game.
Miguel Arnold led the way in scoring for the Jags, who saw their four-game winning streak snapped, picking up 25 points with seven three-pointers and three rebounds. Williams finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Rafael Monteiro had 11 points and five rebounds, and Tyree Myers had 10 points and seven assists.The Jags (9-3, 13-5) started off strong, keeping neck-and-neck with USC Aiken for the first half. The lead switched often as the Jags’ defended their home court.The Jags’ were aggressive on defense, forcing nine turnovers and grabbing 16 defensive rebounds in the first half.Darren Lucas-White got the crowd energized early with a monster put-back dunk six minutes into the first half. The crowd fueled the Jags' offense, which had five three-pointers and seven offensive rebounds in the first half.Up by two as the second half rolled around, the Jags kept their tractions all the way until the last moments of the game, keeping USC Aiken from getting anything more than a six-point lead.The Jags’ offense sputtered a bit in the second half in spite of their seven assists and 44.4 percent shooting from three-point territory. USC Aiken forced 12 turnovers and pulled down eight defensive rebounds in the final 20 minutes.After several tough calls and two turnovers in the final minute, the Jags couldn’t get a shot up in time on their last possession, and USC Aiken pulled through with the victory.Coach Dip Metress and his Jags must hold their heads high as they prepare to face Lander in Augusta on Saturday, Feb. 2, which is Military Appreciation Day.“USC Aiken got two road wins, so now we’re playing from behind, but the most important game is the game on Saturday," the veteran AU coach said. "We’ve got to get through this one and be ready to go on Saturday."Entering the weekend, the Pacers have a two-game lead on second-place UNC Pembroke and three over third-place AU and Francis Marion in the PBC race.Ty'lik Evans led the Pacers (12-1, 18-1) with 24 points and five steals. Both teams shot about the same percentage from the field (Aiken 47 percent, Augusta 45 percent). Turnovers were critical in this close game, as AU had 19, compared to 14 for USC Aiken. AU had the edge on the boards, 38-31.In the women's game, USC Aiken (6-7, 10-9) won 69-49 behind 18 points from Kwajelin Farrar and 13 from Kyrie' Chandler. Kiera Howard led AU (3-9, 4-14) with 17 points. Brianna Middleton had 11.Both Augusta teams are home on Saturday, Feb. 2, when they host Lander. The women tip things off at noon, and the men follow at 2 p.m.