Jaguar women defeat rival USC Aiken, snap four-game losing streak

By Katron Hugee | Sports writer

Augusta University women’s basketball defeated the USC Aiken Pacers 71-64 on Wednesday, Jan. 26,  at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

This win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Jaguars dating back to a first loss on Jan. 12 to Lander University.

AU Coach Millette Green talked about how it felt for the team to get back on the winning track.

“We were talking about the growing pains and the breakthroughs, so it was good timing to be back home against a rival and pick up that victory,” Green said.

The game started highly contested as the Jaguars (3-5, 10-7) and the Pacers (3-6, 7-10) traded baskets that led to a 12-12 tie. Then the Jaguars scored back to back layups taking a 16-12 lead to end the first quarter.

The Jaguars started the second quarter with a corner 3-pointer from November Morton, pushing their run and their lead to seven. Then, a 9-2 run by USC Aiken tied the game at 21-21.

AU would respond with a 9-2 run of their own pushing their lead back to seven at 30-23. The Jaguars would end the quarter on a 12-5 run making the score 33-26 at halftime.

This run was aided by Morton who hit two threes during this run and three in the second quarter giving her nine points at the half.

The third quarter started with the Pacers cutting the AU lead down to four before the Jaguars pushed the lead back up to nine with a Zairya West three forcing a USC Aiken timeout.

The Pacers came out of the timeout energized and proceeded to go on a 9-0 run and once again tie the game at 38-38 forcing an AU timeout. The Jaguars would then come out and go on a quick 5-0 run themselves aided by another Morton three making the score 43-38.

USC Aiken would cut the lead back down to one at 43-42 with a minute remaining in the third quarter. Then a foul would be called on the Jaguars’ Kennedi Manning, followed by a technical foul on Manning for a high bounce of the ball. 

This would give the Pacers four straight free throws which they would make them all giving them an 8-0 run and a 46-43 lead.to end the third quarter.

Green talked after the game about how the team was able to stay composed after losing the lead.

“We wanted it so bad,” Green said. “The game of basketball is the game of runs so our response was to turn up the defense and control what we could control and we locked in and made some big plays defensively and offensively.

The Pacers would start the fourth quarter pushing their run to 10-0 and pushing their lead to five. AU would respond with a 8-1 run with a Michaela Lane putback layup putting the Jaguars up two at 51-49 forcing a USC Aiken timeout.

USC Aiken tied the game once again at 51-51 but Morton would hit another corner three giving her five threes on the game and giving AU a three point lead. West would follow that with her second three giving the Jaguars a 57-51 lead with 3:45 remaining in the game.

After a Pacers timeout, West would get a steal and layup pushing the Jaguars lead to eight at 59-51. The Jaguars led comfortably late in the game but some three point shooting from the Pacers would cut the lead back down to four.

However, the late game execution and free throw shooting from the Jaguars would help them hold on to the lead and win 71-64.

 “We learned from some past losses that came down to free throws and turnovers when we were in the same situation in the fourth quarter and we got better and I was proud of them,” Green said.

Morton led the team in points with 17, followed by Kiera Howard and Manning, who both had 16. Howard also led the team in assists at 6, and Manning led the team in rebounds at 7.

Chidinma Okafor led the Pacers with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

The Jaguars’ next matchup is against Clayton State University on Jan. 29 at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Contact Katron Hugee at khugee@augusta.edu.

AU’s November Morton (30) dribbles the ball against USC Aiken’s Allycia Harris (2); Morton led all scorers with 17 points, making 5-of-9 3-point attempts. At the top of the page, the Jaguars’ Kennedi Manning (24) shoots a jumper over the Pacers’ Chidinma Okafor (25). (photos by AU Athletics)