The National Association of Basketball Coaches ranked Augusta University No. 2 in the nation in its preseason poll Wednesday. The Jaguars are the returning national runner up, and Northwest Missouri State, which beat Augusta in the championship game last season, is ranked No. 1.
This Saturday’s exhibition game against Emory will provide fans with a sneak peek of the Jaguars. Admission will be free, and tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., immediately following the Augusta-Young Harris women’s volleyball match.
The first chance to see Augusta play a regular season game at home will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, November 20 when the Jaguars will host Fayetteville State. During halftime of the game, the new Clint L. Bryant Court will be dedicated in honor of the school’s recently retired athletic director of 34 years and former head basketball coach of nine years.
The school’s athletic department has arranged to distribute in advance free admission tickets to the court dedication game to groups involved with local sports teams, religious organizations, school bands and mentoring programs in keeping with Coach Bryant’s decades of commitment to the young people in the community. Interested groups should be on the lookout for the opportunity. Advance free admission tickets will also be provided to the university’s current and former student athletes.
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Jags Picked to Repeat as Peach Belt Champions
The Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll also hit the wires Tuesday, and Augusta was the unanimous choice to repeat after last year’s regular season and tournament championship. Seniors Tyshaun Crawford and Miguel Arnold were named preseason first team All Peach Belt Conference. Crawford is the returning PBC Co-Player of the Year, and he was also named the Southeast Region Tournament MVP in addition to being named to the Elite 8 All Tournament Team.
Arnold, who is Augusta’s all time leader in made three pointers, was named to the Southeast Region All Tournament Team and the Peach Belt Conference All Tournament Team last season. Arnold’s game winning three pointer in Augusta’s 77-76 Southeast Region Tournament championship game against Queens will probably forever remain the most exciting moment in Augusta basketball history.
Augusta’s 33-4 resume last season set a school record for wins. The run included a perfect record at home and 20 consecutive victories that led up to the national championship game. Returning alongside Crawford and Arnold are fellow seniors Tyree Myers, the school’s all-time leader in assists, and Darren Lucas-White. Arnold, Myers and Lucas-White have compiled an 82-18 record during their three full seasons together, beginning with a Peach Belt Conference championship in 2019. The trio has led Augusta to three NCAA tournament appearances and has won seven of their nine “big dance” games together.
Also returning are sophomore Ja’Queze Kirby and junior David Viti, who will enter their second season as Jaguars after transferring from Division I schools. Kirby burst onto the scene last season, scoring 10.6 points and grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.6% from the field and 50.6% from the three point line as a freshman.
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As you can see in the clip below from last season’s NCAA tournament quarterfinal round game, Kirby is the most exciting player to wear a Jaguar uniform since AJ Bowman led Augusta to a national championship game in 2008. And he played his best basketball in March. The high flyer from Hazlehurst, Georgia was named to the Elite 8 All Tournament Team and the Southeast Region All Tournament Team.
Viti, who transferred from Georgia Southern before coming off the bench to average 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last year, is projected to start this season.
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Augusta’s Championship Teams On Display Saturday
This Saturday’s free exhibition basketball game will follow a doubleheader women’s volleyball match for the Lady Jaguars, who will face Young Harris in their regular season finale. Augusta’s volleyball team has won four straight Peach Belt Conference tournament championships and is the returning Southeast Regional tournament champion.
Finally, Augusta’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams will host Saturday’s Peach Belt Conference championship meet. The Men’s team is ranked No. 2 in the Southeast Region, and it is the three-time defending Peach Belt Conference champion. The Women’s team is currently ranked No. 7 in the Southeast Region.
The Men’s race will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Redcliffe Plantation in Beech Island, South Carolina. The Women’s race will start at 10:15 a.m.
Chad Cook is a sports columnist who is known on the field and court as AugBball. Follow him on Instagram @AugBBall
