Jaguars fall to Hudgins, Northwest Missouri State in national championship game
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—National player of the year Trevor Hudgins scored 31 points to lead Northwest Missouri State to a 67-58 win over Augusta University in the NCAA Division II championship game at the Ford Center on Saturday, March 26.
The Bearcats (34-5) won their fourth national crown in the last five years, and the Jaguars (33-4) came up short in their second-ever D2 title game.
This also marks the third straight Division II national championship for the Bearcats, which is the first time a team has ever accomplished this feat.
“This game was a battle for 40 minutes,” Hudgins said. “We were tough. We were scrappy. Everybody fought today, and we came out on top. I am just happy and proud of my guys, happy to go out like that.”
AU began the game with a heavy dose of center Tyshaun Crawford, who scored six of the first eight points for the Jaguars and helped them build a early 18-12 lead.
Northwest Missouri State battled back and took a 39-28 halftime lead. Hudgins, a 6-foot junior, led the Bobcats with 22 points at the half. The Bearcats ended the first half on a 27-12 run.
AU fought back late, outscoring the Bearcats 27-18 early in the second half. The Bearcats ended the game on a 9-2 run to push away and end an historic season for the Jaguars.
Crawford led the Jaguars with 15 points, and Tyree Myers and Troy Cracknell added 12 each for AU. Crawford talked about the adversity the team had to overcome with the tough calls by the referees
“It happens,” he said. “I can’t control what happens. A lot of people watched the game. It doesn’t stop us from doing what were supposed to do. A lot of plays don’t go our way during the season, but we got to keep fighting through it, and I think my guys did a great job of fighting through all the adversity. We could have got a couple more calls, but shout out to the refs and Northwest Missouri: They did what they were supposed to do and came out with the win.”
Crawford, Hudgins and AU’s Ja’Queze Kirby were named to the all-tournament team for the NCAA Elite Eight.
Northwest Missouri State shot 46 percent from the field, compared to 37 percent for AU.
The Jaguars, who saw their 19-game winning streak ended, struggled at the foul line, as they missed 12 free throws (finishing 17 of 29).
“Yeah, we missed some free throws,” AU Coach DipMetress said. “We lead the country in free-throw attempts and zero (Crawford) leads the country himself in free-throw attempts, and we got to the line and we didn’t make them.”
Metress also told his team how proud he was of his their program-best 33-win season in the locker room after the game.
“You guys had an amazing run,” Metress said. “We put ourselves in a position to be in the last game of the year. Everybody in the country wishes they were in this game. What you accomplished was you got the vibe of Augusta basketball back in the city—proud of what you accomplished. You’ll see when you get back.”
AU men’s basketball team will now head back to Augusta to the fans who have been supporting them from home. AU will have a welcome-home celebration at Christenberry Fieldhouse on Sunday, March 27, at 5 p.m.
It was the last game for Jaguar seniors Cracknell and Jack Johnson, and Northwest Missouri State’s Hudgins is rumored to be transferring to a D1 university for next season, although he did enter the NBA draft last year but pulled out.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
AU’s Ja’Queze Kirby (13) slams down a dunk. He finished with seven points and nine rebounds in the title game. At the top of the page, the Jaguars huddle for one last time for the 2021-22 campaign. (photos by Madison Keel)
AU’s Darren Lucas-White helps up the Bearcats’ Mitch Mascari after a foul during the game. (photo by Chris Rickerson)
Jaguar guard Tyree Myers goes for layup over the Bearcats’ Diego Bernard. Myers finished with 12 points in the championship game. (Photo by Madison Keel)
