Jaguar men's hoops team earns 87-point victory over Allen, improves to 7-0
By Katron Hugee | Sports writer
The Augusta University men defeated Allen University 126-39 on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Christenberry Fieldhouse in college basketball.
This win improved the 10th-ranked Jaguars’ record to 7-0 while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 0-4 on the season.
This was AU’s second matchup against Allen University all time. The first contest the Yellow Jackets won last season 72-68.
The Jaguars were eager to avenge their loss from last season. They responded with an 87-point victory.
Augusta started out fast, jumping out to a 15-0 lead early. The score was 18-2 Jaguars when Allen called its first timeout.
This early run was aided by the sharpshooting of Miguel Arnold, who made six threes in the first half, including three straight to take the score from 15-2 to 24-2. Arnold ended with 20 points and two assists.
“This game I came out aggressive like I needed to play,” Arnold said. “As the game was going I felt it, and it feels good honestly.”
The Jaguars’ dominant first half continued as they stretched their lead to 33-3 and 44-5, and then a 17-0 run by AU pushed the lead to 61-7. This was aided by AU hitting 14 out of 18 threes in the first half and shooting 78 percent as a whole.
AU would end the half on an 8-0 run in emphatic fashion. The final point of the half would be an off the backboard alley-oop from Darren Lucas-White to Ja’Queze Kirby, making the score 69-10.
Kirby led the team in points and rebounds with 23 points and 10 boards, notching a double-double. After the game, Kirby talked about the effects that high flying dunks can have on the team.
“I feel like it’s a game-changer,” Kirby said. “I feel like if I do that, I feel like the other team quits and gives up, so if one of us gets a big-time dunk the whole momentum of the game changes.”
Coming out of the half, the Jaguars did not let their foot off the gas, going on an 11-0 run early in the second half to push the lead to 82-12.
After another 8-0 run by AU to make the score 97-20, the Jaguars cruised the rest of the way, steadily increasing the score.
The Jaguars would finish with 21 made 3-pointers, shooting 53 percent from behind the 3-point line and 63 percent as a whole.
John Whitehead III had five threes with both Ja’Queze Kirby and Troy Cracknell following with four threes made on five attempts.
“We were on fire today,” Coach Dip Metress said. “We took all good shots and we didn’t get selfish and that was great.”
The Jaguars have had great success so far this season, and team chemistry has been one of the key factors.
“We get along so well off the court and on the court,” Arnold said. “It translates to the game and we’re all close, so it's easy for us to communicate on the court.”
Anthony Baker led Allen with 18 points.
The Jaguars take the week off for fall-semester exams. Their next game is Saturday, Dec. 11, when they host the College of Coastal Georgia at 4 p.m.
Contact Katron Hugee at khugee@augusta.edu.
Miguel Arnold (5) nails another 3-pointer in a game in which he made six of them. (photo by Shelbie Summerlin) At the top of the page, AU’s Ja’Queze Kirby (13) shoots over Allen’s Michael Ferguson (22) on an afternoon when the freshman scored 23 points for the 10th-ranked Jaguars. (staff photo)
