Behind Crawford's big night, AU advances to D2 national championship game
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Tyshaun Crawford scored 25 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting night to lead Augusta University to a 76-61 win over Indiana University (Pa.) in the national semifinal on Thursday, March 24, at the Ford Center.
The third-seeded Jaguars (33-3) will play fifth-seeded Northwest Missouri State (33-5) in the national championship game on Saturday, March 26, at 3 p.m. (EDT). The Bearcats have won three of the last four NCAA Division II crowns.
Northwest Missouri State beat Black Hills State 70-57 in the other semifinal on Thursday.
Crawford became the first player in Elite Eight history to go 12 for 12 from the field. The Griffin (Ga.) product also had 14 rebounds and three blocks.
“It’s fitting he is sitting in the middle as everything offensivley revolved around him,” AU Coach Dip Metress said during the post-game press conference.
Freshman Ja’Queze Kirby added 16 points, and senior point guard Tyree Myers added 13 points and 6 assists as AU won for the 19th straight time. Guard Darren Lucas-White chipped in 9 points.
The Jaguars will be playing in their second-ever national championship game. The only title game they went to was in 2008 as Augusta lost to Winona State 87-76.
The IUP Crimson Hawks finished the season 33-3. They were led by Tomiwa Sulaiman in the Final Four game with 17 points.
In the first half, the game would be back and forth as the Jaguars had no answer for Sulaiman, who had 14 points off 6-for-6 shooting in the half.
Crawford also had two early fouls as he picked up an offensive flagrant foul in the first half.
“I apologized to the guys, and the coaches told me to keep believing in yourself and then when they put me back in, I just was like I am going to forget that play and do what is best for my team,” Crawford said.
AU struggled in the first half as well with six turnovers, keeping the game in reach for the Crimison Hawks as the game was tied 32-32 at the half.
“We were sloppy with the ball,” Metress said. “We had six turnovers in the first half. Three of our turnovers in the first half led to easy layups. That hurt us.”
The Jaguars came out hot in the second half, beginning on a 7-1 run. After his two personal fouls, AU’s Crawford dominated the second half with 17 of his 25 points.
The defense was also a key factor in the Jaguars’ win as they held one of the finalists for national player of the year, Armoni Foster, to 3-of-14 shooting with only 12 points. The Jags also held Sulaiman to only three points in the second half.
AU’s Miguel Arnold was held to no points in the first half, shooting 0-for-4. The leading scorer throughout the region tournament only took six shots the entire game, finishing with three points.
“We lean on whatever the defense is giving us, and they just happened to be taking away Miguel’s shot and I just happened to be open on the back side over the top, so we just made the right play,” Crawford said.
AU outscored IUP 44-29 in the second half, leading the Jaguars to a comfortable victory.
The national title game will be aired on CBS on Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock (EDT).
“It feel’s great, but the job is not finished,” Crawford said.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
Ja’Queze Kirby dunks the ball on the fast break as he finished with 16 points in the win. (Photo by Madison Keel)
Tyshaun Crawford lays it in over IUP defender Ethan Porterfield. (photo by Madison Keel)
