Anderson downs Augusta women's basketball team, 82-76
By Drew Wall | Sports writer
The Augusta women’s basketball team fell just short Wednesday, Nov. 29, losing its first game of the season in the Jaguars’ home opener against Anderson, 82-76.
Despite a strong first half by Augusta, and an Augusta eight-point lead heading into halftime (41-33), a 28-16 Anderson charge in the third quarter was the difference in this game.
"Anderson came out and made three 3-pointers in the third quarter,” said AU Coach Celeste Stewart. “In the first half they didn't make any. At times we struggled to score and weren't able to get the stops we needed to win the quarter, which was a difference maker in the game."
Augusta was able to find a lot of offensive success of their own, especially inside throughout the course of the game. Fifty of the 76 points by the Jaguars were in the paint.
“Anderson’s defense was good, but the paint was open due to their players shifting or over-playing us,” senior guard Tomiyah Alford said when talking about the success of her team’s offensive play inside.
Senior AU forward Kennedi Manning was dominant inside the paint. Manning’s footwork in the post seemed to be too much for Anderson to handle, as she would go on to drop 25 points on 11 of 16 from the field. She also had eight rebounds.
Autumn Phillips and Tomiyah Alford also finished with double digit points for the Jaguars. Phillips finished with her third straight game with at least 20 points—this time with another 20 points Wednesday against Anderson. Alford finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
Although Augusta fell short, there were a lot of positives that can be taken from this game.
"Our team responded to the challenge at hand and was confident in our abilities to win the game,” Stewart said when talking about the positives she saw from her team. “We had no doubt that we were capable of winning. Anderson was a great test for us, going forward and we will use this game as fuel to continue to compete and be the best we can be."
Alford was also pleased with how the team fought in this game.
“Through the whole game we kept fighting and never got discouraged,” said Alford. “We had a positive mindset and cheered each other on, we had a next play mentality.”
Anderson improved to 6-1 and will go back on the road to take on Tusculum this Saturday, Dec. 2. Nelliah Wilson led the Trojans with 22 points, and Diamond McDowell added 20. Zamiya Passmore tossed in 17 for Anderson.
Both teams shot well. Anderson (6-1) made 35 of 60 from the field for 58.3 percent. Augusta made 35 of 68 for 51.5 percent.
Augusta now sits at 4-1 and will host a 5-1 Fayetteville State team on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Tipoff is 1:30 p.m.
"Fayetteville is a team that's now 5-1 on the year so far and a top caliber program in the CIAA conference,” said Stewart "We must do a good job of protecting the paint defensively and executing offensively. We must play to our strengths and defend home court."
Contact Drew Wall at dawall@augusta.edu.
Kennedi Manning (24) goes up for two of her 25 points over Anderson’s Nelliah Wilson (30) in AU’s 82-76 loss to the Jaguars. At the top of the page, Je’Bria Fullwood (left) drives to the basket for the Jaguars. (photos by Rachel Carman)
