Jaguars preparing for title game against the 2021 champion Bearcats
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Augusta University men’s basketball team is getting ready to play the biggest game of the Jaguar players’ careers against Northwest Missouri in the NCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday, March 26, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
The Jaguars (33-3) will once again have no easy task as they go up against the 2021 Division II national champion in Northwest Missouri State, which upended Black Hills State 70-57 in the semifinal. The Bearcats (33-5) have won three out of the last four national titles. They defeated West Texas A&M 80-54 in last season’s national championship game. The Bearcats also won the national crown in 2017 and 2019. There was no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Northwest Missouri State (located in Maryville, Mo.) is seeded fifth this time.
“Three out of the last four, and they got a contingent of people out here,” Metress said. “Their fans are going to be into it. They are smelling another championship. We’re going to do what we’re supposed to do. Sometimes in these games you want to go through each media timeout and still be in the game. I don’t know how it’s going to go, but you just want to be in it with five minutes to go.”
This will be Metress’ second title run at Augusta, and the school’s second appearance ever in the National Championship game. AU lost to Winona State in the 2008 national championship game 87-76 in Springfield, Mass.
The Bearcats are led by two outstanding guards in NCAA Division II Player of the Year Trevor Hudgins and Diego Bernard, who has been named to the MIAA Conference all-defensive team four times. Hudgins is also the fourth leading scorer in all of Division II.
Northwest Missouri State is also No. 1 in 3-pointers attempted and made by a wide margin. Metress commented on the talent and different play style of the Bearcats.
“Hudgins is a legitimate player of the year, Diego is very good, and he had a great National Championship game last year,” said Metress. “There two bigs are players that will make shots, it will be a contrast of styles, were going to throw inside, they are going to spread it and shoot threes.”
The third-seeded Jaguars got 25 points from 7-foot-1 center Tyshaun Crawford in their 76-61 win over Indiana University (Pa.) in the national semifinals on Thursday night, March 24. Crawford was a perfect 12 of 12 from the field.
AU enters the title tilt with 19 straight wins, last losing at Flagler on Jan. 22.
The national championship game will be aired on CBS. Tip-off will be at 3 p.m. (EDT). AU is hosting a Watch Party at Christenberry Fieldhouse in Augusta beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
The Jaguars’ David Viti (3), Ja’Queze Kirby (13), Tyree Myers (2) and the Crimson Hawks’ Dave Morris chase after a loose ball on a turnover in the national semifinal. At the top of the page, Tyshaun Crawford (0) slams the ball home in the semifinal game with Indiana University (Pa.). (photos by Chris Rickerson)
