Behind Cracknell, AU heads into the new year with a win over Emmanuel

By Carlos Rodriguez | Co-editor in chief 

The Augusta University men’s basketball team picked up a road win over Emmanuel College on New Year's Eve 92-74.  

With the win the Jaguars improved to 10-1 overall, wrapping up non-conference play undefeated. 

In the road victory, Troy Cracknell scored 24 points, knocking down six 3-pointers.

Tyshaun Crawford scored 15 points, while the Division I transfer duo of David Viti and Ja’Queze Kirby added 14 and 13 points, respectively.  

The game started off with both teams trading buckets on consecutive possessions. 

On the first play of the game, Crawford bulldozed his way in for a dunk. The Lions answered with a 3-pointer by Jayvion Rucker, which was answered by Cracknell with a three of his own. The very next play Emmanuel answered with another 3-pointer, this time by Chris Dees, only to be answered by a layup from Crawford that put the Jags up 7-6 with 18:18 left. 

The Jaguars would go on runs and then the Lions would do the same as the game stood within single digits for a long period. AU obtained their first double-digit lead of the game after Cracknell knocked down two free throws to go up 39-29 with 4:34 remaining in the half.  

After a putback layup by freshman John Whitehead III the Jags went up 50-35 with 32 seconds left to play. Emmanuel’s Isaiah Foster knocked down a 3-pointer for the last basket of the half to cut AU’s lead to 50-38 at the break. 

Rebounding was big for the Jaguars who outrebounded the Lions 22-9 in the half. Augusta also shot 8-9 from the free-throw line which came up big because Emmanuel didn’t shoot from the line at all in the half.  

Cracknell led Augusta at the half with 16 points.  

In the second half Cracknell opened up with his fifth 3-pointer of the game in the first possession, giving AU a 15-point lead again. 

The Lions struggled as they could not cut the Jaguars lead to single digits. Augusta pushed the lead to 20 after Cracknell’s sixth 3-pointer to go up 72-52 with 11:35 remaining.  

Kirby gave AU their biggest lead of the game after maneuvering through the lane for a layup, increasing their lead to 84-54 with 5:36 left. The Jaguars maintained a 20-point or more lead the remainder of the game until the final minute where Emmanuel’s Kendall Latney knocked down a 3-pointer and Jasper Gibson a free throw as the Jaguars went on to win by 18. 

AU shot 55.7-percent from the field while Emmanuel shot 44.4-percent. Overall the Jags dominated the rebound battle 42-22. 

The AU women’s basketball team was scheduled to play Emmanuel as well, in Augusta, but Covid-19 issues caused the game to be cancelled. The Jaguars’ game prior to this was scheduled against Columbus State on Dec. 20, but it was also canceled because of Covid-19.  

Both AU teams are scheduled to play on Wednesday, Jan. 5, against Georgia College at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The women start at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30. 

Contact Carlos Rodriguez at carrodriguez@augusta.edu.

Note: At the top of the page, Ja’Queze Kirby gets of a jump shot. Kirby had 13 points in the win over Emmanuel. (photo by Viraj Bulla, special to the Bell Ringer)