Augusta men’s basketball suffers setback to Lander; women earn comeback win

By Justin Gray | Sports Editor and Jaxon Garner | Editor in Chief

GREENWOOD, S.C.—The Augusta Jaguars men’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Lander on Feb. 19, falling 82-67 after trailing by as many as 30 points, while the Jaguar women’s team staged a thrilling 58-53 comeback win on the road.

Both teams look ahead to high-stakes games this weekend, with postseason implications on the line.

The Jaguar men’s basketball team suffered one of its largest losses of the season at Lander. The box score may not tell the whole story, as Augusta trailed by as many as 30 points before narrowing the margin late. AU Coach Dip Metress summed up the night in his postgame interview.

“We didn’t compete,” he said. “That was a team that was desperate for a win to gain some momentum. We weren’t desperate tonight for whatever reason, and because of that, we got our butt whooped.”

From the opening tip, Lander dominated, jumping out to a 22-6 lead within the first eight minutes. By the 1:34 mark of the first half, Augusta found itself staring at a daunting 50-20 deficit.

After halftime, the Jaguars played with more urgency and physicality, opening the second half on an 11-4 run to cut the lead to 20. However, Lander’s three-point shooting quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback.

Noah Dunn led the Bearcats’ perimeter attack, scoring 26 points on 7-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Torrin Andrews added 22 points, while Inady Legiste controlled the paint with 17 points and nine rebounds.

For Augusta, Maximilian Amadasun led the way with 18 points, while Demitri Gardner contributed 16. TJ Baker provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, and Zyere Edwards added 12 in 19 minutes—his second-most in conference play this season.

Edwards, who has struggled offensively this year, showed signs of turning a corner. Despite inconsistent playing time, he has stayed focused and committed to improvement.

“Staying in the gym, going in early mornings and late nights,” said the Savannah, Georgia, native. “Also, my teammates and coaches always believing in me.”

With the loss, Augusta’s regular-season title hopes have dimmed. Columbus State, which has only lost twice in conference play—both to Augusta—would need to lose twice while the Jaguars would have to win out. On the bright side, USC Beaufort’s victory over USC Aiken keeps Augusta alone in second place. Winning their final three games would secure the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.

Up next, Augusta faces another “desperate” team, as Coach Metress described them—North Georgia—on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 3:30 p.m. in Christenberry Fieldhouse. The game will serve as both Homecoming and Senior Day, making for an electric atmosphere.

Women’s basketball secures comeback victory

The Augusta women’s basketball team fought to a hard-earned 58-53 victory over Lander on Wednesday night in Greenwood, South Carolina.

With the win, Augusta improved to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in Peach Belt Conference play, while Lander fell to 11-11 and 6-9 in league competition.

Quinasia Abercrombie led the way for the Jaguars, delivering a standout performance with 19 points and six steals. Augusta overcame a slow start, ramping up their intensity in the second half.

Trailing 22-17 at halftime, the Jaguars flipped the script in the final two quarters, outscoring the Bearcats 41-31. A decisive 14-0 run to open the fourth quarter cemented Augusta’s comeback.

The Jaguars capitalized inside, scoring 38 points in the paint while holding Lander to just two made three-pointers—well below their 4.1 per-game average.

Mone Florence played a crucial role, scoring 10 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer in the final period. Elyse Autrey contributed eight points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Amari Jackson added six points and two rebounds. Defensively, Augusta continued its season-long dominance, forcing 27 turnovers and converting them into 25 points.

Next, Augusta returns home to Christenberry Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 22, for a showdown with No. 10 North Georgia. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m., and the game will also serve as Senior Day and Homecoming.

With both teams in the hunt to maintain a strong postseason positioning, expect a high-energy weekend of basketball in Augusta.

Contact Justin Gray at jusgray@augusta.edu.

Contact Jaxon Garner at jaxgarner@augusta.edu.

Top: AU’s Mone Florence and John St. Germain III, both go up for contested layups against Lander (Photos by Paula Toole/AU Athletics).