Augusta Tops Georgia Southwestern to Open Peach Belt Conference Play

Tyshaun Crawford dominated, scoring 29 points and blocking 5 shots in the second home game of the season for the Jaguars

No. 13 Augusta opened Peach Belt Conference play with a 74-65 win at home over Georgia Southwestern Saturday behind a career high 29 points by Tyshaun Crawford. The Jaguars improved to 7-1 for the season and look forward to Monday night’s home game against Conference foe Columbus State, who also stands 7-1 for the season.

Crawford made 11 of 15 field goals and 7 of 8 free throws while grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 5 shots in Saturday’s win. The 7’1” senior is averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per game and building on the momentum he gained after leading Augusta to a conference championship, and NCAA Southeast Region Tournament championship and a national runner up finish in the NCAA Division II Tournament last season.

Miguel Arnold added 17 points, Tyree Myers scored 12 to go along with 4 assists, and Darren Lucas White added 8 points and 5 rebounds.

Augusta sprinted out to a 41-26 halftime lead as the Jaguars probably put together their most complete half of basketball during the young season. Crawford scored the first six points for the Jaguars, and by halftime he had posted a dozen.

“The emphasis was to go inside early,” Crawford explained after the game. “If they’re going to guard me one on one, we gotta make ‘em pay for it.”

After Crawford had the full attention of Georgia Southwestern’s defense, junior David Viti got free for back-to-back three pointers and Arnold, Augusta’s second leading scorer at 16.9 points per game, scored 11 points before halftime as the Jaguars appeared to be in full control.

But after falling behind by 17 points when Crawford scored on the first play of the second half, Georgia Southwestern made a furious run to eventually tie the game at 58 with 8:05 left in the game. During the run, Myers, Augusta’s floor general since the winter of 2018, picked up his fourth foul. But Crawford refused to let the Jaguars fall behind.

“With Tyree being out, we needed leadership,” Crawford said. “I had to be there. I had to step up.”

Crawford scored 17 points in the second half. And he recorded 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks after Myers left the game after committing his fourth foul with 10 minutes remaining. Crawford’s heroics were badly needed because while star sophomore Ja’Queze Kirby continues to work himself back into his usual form after missing four games with an ankle injury, Myers has been an important source of offense for the Jaguars. Myers scored all 12 of his points before picking up his fourth foul.

Arnold and Lucas-White provided support in holding off the Hurricanes during the second half. Right after Jordan Clark tied the game at 58, Arnold answered with a three-point play to give the Jaguars a 61-58 lead with 7:27 remaining. Soon after, the lead was cut to 1, but Crawford responded with two made free throws and a blocked shot that doubled as an outlet pass to Lucas-White, who raced down court to score in transition and give the Jaguars a 65-60 lead with 5:15 remaining.

Myers checked back in soon afterwards. And after Georgia Southwestern ran off four straight points to cut the deficit to 65-64, the Jaguars ran off 9 straight points to seal the victory. During the decisive spurt, Crawford scored twice on putbacks. Then when Arnold’s man shaded Crawford too closely, Myers fired a pass to Augusta’s all time leading three point shooter for a three pointer from the corner that gave Augusta a 72-64 lead with 2 minutes remaining. On the next possession, Myers, who is the school’s all time assist leader, found Lucas-White free just inside the free throw line for a jumper that put Augusta ahead 74-64.