Admission will be free for all this afternoon when Augusta University hosts Young Harris for a double header at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The women’s game will tip off at 1:30 p.m. and the men are scheduled to play at 3:30.
“We’re trying to break the attendance record,” Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dip Metress said in an interview Tuesday morning. “We have 3,027 seats. I’d like to get three-thousand people there Saturday.”
A huge crowd would come in handy for the Jaguars, who will play for the top spot in the Peach Belt Conference standings with five regular season games remaining. Augusta (19-4, 10-3) is currently tied for first place with North Georgia. Young Harris (18-4, 9-4), Lander and USC Aiken are all tied for second, one game behind the leaders.
MORE: Augusta falls at Lander and the PBC race tightens
Metress explained the approach he’d like his players to take as the team finishes the regular season race for a conference championship, the prize for which is the right to host the Peach Belt Conference Tournament March 2-5.
“Let’s go one game at a time,” Metress said after the team’s practice Friday afternoon. “We’ve got Young Harris, a great opportunity, Saturday afternoon. Let’s get 3,000 people in here and enjoy the moment of hopefully beating another good team. It’s a great opportunity to get better and put ourselves in a position to hang a banner.”
Senior Tyree Myers was all business when asked what he’s focused on entering Saturday’s game.
“Just going out there and getting a win,” Myers said. Playing hard and coming out with a win. That’s all that matters at this point in the season.”
Myers has been the starting point guard and floor leader ever since arriving in Augusta for the 2018-19 season. He and fellow senior starters Miguel Arnold and Darren Lucas-White have won more than 100 games and two conference championships during their three-plus seasons playing together. But Myers wasn’t dwelling on past accomplishments Friday.
MORE: North Augusta finishes regular season undefeated after win at Midland Valley
“The season’s not over,” Myers said. “My career isn’t over here yet. I’m not thinking about that. I’m just focused on the upcoming games and getting wins.”
Play4 Kay
The Lady Jaguars (14-9, 7-6) can equal last season’s win total with a victory over Young Harris (10-11, 6-7). Fifteen games is the highest win total for Augusta since the 2015-16 season. The Lady Jaguars can finish the regular season as high as second place in the conference with a strong finish.
Saturday’s “Pink Out” game will also serve as the annual Play4 Kay game. According to Augusta University’s Communications and Marketing department, “Play4 Kay is an opportunity for a nation of coaches to raise breast cancer awareness and funds, for research on the court, across campuses, in communities, and beyond.”
Follow Chad Cook’s coverage of local sports on Facebook and Instagram at @AugustaPressSports, and on Twitter at @AugPressSports.
