Greek Night delivers drama as Augusta battles USC Beaufort

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in Chief

On Greek Night at Christenberry Fieldhouse, Augusta men’s basketball nearly completed a dramatic comeback but ultimately fell just short in a 91–90 loss to USC Beaufort in a tightly contested matchup that featured questionable officiating and a furious second-half rally by the Jaguars.

With the loss, The Jags are now 9-13 and 4-8 in conference play. Coach Dip Metress remains two wins away from reaching the 600-win mark

Augusta trailed 53–38 at halftime after struggling to find consistency amid frequent whistles that disrupted the flow of the game. Coach Metress was visibly frustrated throughout the night, repeatedly engaging with officials over calls he felt impacted the game’s rhythm. His frustration peaked late when he was assessed a technical foul, underscoring the intensity of the contest.

Elias Palsson (8) rises up for a mid-range jumper over the tough USCB defense late in the fourth quarter. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)

Despite the adversity, the Jaguars responded with resilience in the second half, outscoring USC Beaufort 52–38 and trimming an 18-point deficit down to a single possession in the final moments. Augusta shot 60.6% from the field after the break and dominated inside, scoring 40 points in the paint while also capitalizing on 15 second-chance points.

One bright spot for Augusta was the emergence of DaRon Dunbar, who stepped up with 15 points in just over 24 minutes. When asked about Dunbar’s performance, Metress said, “He took advantage of an opportunity, made some shots and played well.”

Turnovers also became a focal point in the first half, while the second half was completely different, as Augusta committed just four in the second half. However, one sequence drew particular frustration from the bench.

“We had four turnovers in the second half, one was an offensive foul on Luis (Nonfon), which was a horrendous call, we had a 10-second call,” Metress said. “I am proud of our guys for doing that. In games like these, you want the players to decide the game.”

Evan Joyner led Augusta with 19 points, while Elias Palsson added 23. For the Sandsharks, it was Evan Kilminster who led the way with 24 points followed by Quran Anderson and Ismail Rashid with 15 and 14 points respectively.

The Jaguars’ effort, energy, and composure down the stretch reflected a team that refused to fold, feeding off the Greek Night crowd as they pushed USC Beaufort to the final buzzer.

Though the result did not go Augusta’s way, the second-half response showcased the Jaguars’ grit and ability to compete in high-pressure situations.

Earlier in the evening, the Augusta University women’s basketball team found itself in an equally intense battle with the Sandsharks, one that carried significant weight in the PBC standings.

They came up short, falling 82–70 to USC Beaufort in overtime Wednesday night at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

The loss drops the Jaguars to 13–6 overall and 8–4 in Peach Belt Conference play, while the Sand Sharks improve to 12–7 overall and move ahead of Augusta in the conference standings.

The Jaguars controlled much of the night and appeared poised to secure the win late in regulation. With 30 seconds remaining, Elyse Autrey calmly knocked down a pair of free throws to give Augusta a 65–61 advantage. USC Beaufort answered in the closing moments, tying the game on a basket by Janiyah Heyward with just five seconds left. Augusta had opportunities in the final seconds of regulation, but the potential game-winner would not fall, sending the game into overtime.

Momentum shifted quickly in the extra period, as USC Beaufort outscored Augusta 17–5. Much of that scoring came at the free-throw line, allowing the Sand Sharks to pull away. Taniyah Bowman was the difference-maker in overtime, accounting for 13 of USC Beaufort’s points during the decisive stretch.

Quinasia Abercrombie led the Jaguars with a strong all-around performance, recording a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds while also dishing out seven assists. Chloe Ross added 13 points, and Augusta received balanced scoring contributions with three additional players finishing with eight points apiece.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.

Kyndon Wilburg (on the floor) is helped up by DaRon Dumbar (left) and Elias Palsson (right) after a tough and-1 layup.

At the top of the page, Evan Joyner (0) rises up for the breakaway jam. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)