Augusta University men’s basketball gears up for tough 2024 season

By Jaxon Garner | Staff Writer

The Jaguars basketball team will hit the court Wednesday for the first game of the season and are preparing for upcoming key conference battles and challenging non-conference matchups against Division I heavyweights. 

After a lukewarm 17-12 record last season, the Jaguars are eager to bounce back, though the road ahead looks tougher with a string of non-conference away games. 

“It’s never easy to play on the road,” said head coach Dip Metress. “The competition is tougher, and it challenges our players. But that’s what we want, good competition to prepare us for the season ahead.” 

Facing Clemson: A high-stakes opener 

One of the marquee games on the schedule is an October 30 exhibition against Clemson University, marking the Jaguars’ season debut. Clemson, fresh off a 24-12 season and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament, presents a formidable challenge. 

Metress has worked tirelessly to get Clemson back on the schedule after their last meeting in 2017. 

“It’s a long process to get a team like Clemson to play us,” Metress said. “Their coach knows we have size, which isn’t typical for teams at our level.” 

Although the game is listed as an exhibition, Metress emphasized the importance of treating it like a regular season contest. 

Georgia Southern showdown 

Another intriguing matchup comes on November 11 when Augusta faces Georgia Southern in a regular season game. The Jaguars edged Southern 82-77 in an exhibition last year, but this time, the stakes are higher. 

“Southern struggles to schedule non-conference home games because of their location,” Metress explained. “When I asked their coach about another exhibition, he suggested making it a regular season game instead.” 

PBC rivalry with a twist 

Peach Belt Conference (PBC) fans will also notice a unique scheduling quirk with Georgia Southwestern State University. Unlike most PBC teams, who hold Saturday games at 3:30 PM, Georgia Southwestern opts for late-evening games, which has ruffled some feathers. 

“Two years ago, we played them in Americus so late that we couldn’t even find a place to eat afterward,” Metress recalled. “I told their athletic director, ‘When you play us at home, it’s going to be a late tip-off too.’” 

This decision, while surprising, is part of Metress’ effort to boost fan engagement. Late games, he believes, will draw a larger crowd since the community is often busy earlier in the day. The basketball staff and student engagement team are working to create a theme night for the game to generate more interest. 

Creating a home-court advantage 

Beyond the schedule, Metress is excited about enhancing the home-court atmosphere. The university is offering shuttle services from student housing to boost student attendance and create a rowdy game-day environment. 

“We’ve got a great product here,” Metress said. “Game days should feel like a circus, a real spectacle. But we need the students to show up to give us that true home-court advantage.”

Contact Jaxon Garner at jaxgarner@augusta.edu

Photo: Courtesy of Paula Toole, AU Athletics