By Carlos Rodriguez |Sports writerThe Augusta University men’s basketball team defeated Francis Marion 87-67 on Wednesday night, Feb. 12, in Florence, S.C. The Jaguars (16-7 ,11-4) improved their winning streak to five games.After a tight first half, the Jaguars managed to put the game out of reach in the second half. Sophomore Miguel Arnold led with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting behind the three-point line. Sophomore Tyshaun Crawford posted his 11th double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Troy Cracknell went 5 for 8 behind the three-point line en route to 18 points.The Patriots (4-18, 3-12) were led by Jaquez Smith, who recorded 22 points. Winston Hill and Keith Matthews had 20 and 14 points, respectively.In only three seconds of play, Cracknell made an and-one layup but failed to convert on the free throw. Francis Marion’s Hill answered back with an and-one layup of his own and had to come out the game due to getting hurt on the make. Keith Matthews shot the free throw attempt for Hill and converted, giving FMU a 3-2 lead with 19:43 remaining.AU took over the lead and their biggest lead of the half came after Crawford made a free throw with 12:15 remaining to put the Jags up 16-11. North Augusta, S.C., native Smith hit a jumper for the Patriots to tie things up at 20 with 7:25 remaining. After a Smith steal, Matthews drove through the lane for a one-handed dunk to give FMU a 34-30 lead with 1:29 remaining. With the time remaining, Cracknell and junior Shawn Moss both hit three-pointers to give Augusta the lead at the break 36-34.Cracknell led with 11 points that included 3-4 shooting from three. Rafael Monteiro dominated the glass with 12 rebounds in the half. He finished the game with 15 rebounds, a new career-high.Despite having the lead at the half, AU shot 38.7 percent from the field compared to FMU’s 50 percent. What played a role in leading at the half was their 7-16 shooting from three. FMU only made 2-9 from three in the half.In the second half the Patriots quickly took the lead after Matthews drilled a 15-foot jumper, giving FMU a 39-38 lead with 18:37 remaining. This would be Francis Marion’s last lead of the game as the very next possession Crawford scored inside giving AU the 40-39 lead with 17:44 left to play. Arnold gave AU a 51-41 lead with 14:27 left after battling through the lane to make a tough floater. Sophomore Tyree Myers pushed the lead to 15 after knocking down a three-pointer, giving AU a 60-45 lead with 10:50 remaining.With 3:49 remaining, Arnold connected on his fifth three-pointer of the game, giving the Jaguars a 25-point lead of 78-53, their biggest lead of the game. Freshman Anthony Torelli hit a three-pointer, and Gabriel Moller made a layup in the final minute for the Jaguars final baskets in the win.The second half was more efficient for Augusta, shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three. Francis Marion shot 41.4 percent from the field and just 12.5 percent on threes."We played with a lot more fervor in the second half," said AU Coach Dip Metress.Despite the blowout win, AU just barely beat out FMU in field goal percentage for the whole game. The Jaguars shot 45.9 percent from the field for the whole game, compared to FMU’s 45.5 percent. The Jaguars three-point success on the night played a vital role, making 50 percent on 16-of-32 shots on the night, whereas the Patriots made 17.6 percenton 3-17 shooting. Another big stat that stood out was rebounds with AU outrebounding FMU 41-25.
The Jags are tied for third place in the Peach Belt Conference with Lander (11-4). Both teams sit one game behind second-place USC Aiken (12-3) and two games behind first place UNC Pembroke (13-2).Augusta will look to avenge another one of their PBC losses as the Jaguars host UNC Pembroke this Saturday, Feb. 15, at Christenberry Fieldhouse at 3:30 p.m. The Braves won 94-56 on their home floor on Jan. 18."For Pembroke we must limit their scoring runs by keeping them off the glass and limiting our turnovers," Metress said. "We have to mix aggression with intelligence on both ends of the floor."In the women’s game Wednesday, the Jags ended an eight-game losing streak with a tight 59-56 win. AU improve to 8-15 overall and 5-10 in Peach Belt action. Francis Marion falls to 11-10 overall and 7-8 in conference play.Junior Zariya West led the way with 17 points and six rebounds. Freshman Kennedi Manning and senior Camryn Wilson both added 11 points.Kiana Adderton paced the Patriots notching a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Scarlett Gilmore added 11 points.In the first quarter, Manning scored the first basket for Augusta with a layup in the opening minute. The Patriots took a 9-8 lead with 5:31 remaining after Gilmore made a three-pointer. Sophomore Jaelyn Autman tied things at 9-9 after knocking down a free throw. Freshman Ashleigh Boulin made a layup to give AU an 11-9 lead with 3:29 left. In the final seconds of the quarter, sophomore Mechella Davis made a layup to cap off Augusta’s 9-0 run, increasing the lead to 17-9.The Patriots fought back in the second quarter, scoring six straight points to cut AU’s lead to 17-15 after Gilmore made a jumper with 7:03 remaining. Autman increased the Jaguars lead to 25-18 after hitting a tough two-point jumper with 3:22 left to play. FMU held AU scoreless the rest of the quarter and went on a 7-0 run to tie things up at 25 heading into half time after Adderton made a jumper.In the third quarter, the Patriots picked up where they left off going on another 7-0 run. Adderton capped the 7-0 run again after hitting another jumper with 7:33 remaining. Autman trimmed FMU’s lead to 36-35, after hitting grabbing her own miss and putting it back up for a layup with 4:33 left. AU took a 38-37 lead after Wilson drove through the lane for two points with under three minutes to go. Boulin dished a great bounce-pass to Wilson who made a layup on a cut to the basket to give AU a 43-38 lead heading into the fourth.Adderton once again helped FMU go on a run this time going on a 5-0 run herself, hitting a three-pointer and a layup to tie things at 43 with 9:10 left. Sophomore Asia Harrison hit two free throws to give AU a 52-47 lead with 4:24 remaining. Free throws from Manning and West in the final minute sealed the win for the Jags.The women will be in action against UNC Pembroke on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Christenberry Fieldhouse at 1 p.m.
Contact Carlos Rodriguez at CRODRIGU@augusta.edu.