Free throws decide physical rivalry as Augusta falls to USC Aiken

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief

Augusta University men’s basketball dropped a physical rivalry matchup to USC Aiken, 75–71, on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Christenberry Fieldhouse, as the Pacers controlled the game from start to finish.

The contest was defined by physical play and frequent trips to the free-throw line, an area that proved decisive. USC Aiken attempted 35 free throws in the game, converting 33 of them, while Augusta went 10-of-17 at the line.

“They were very physical, and they shot 35 free throws… it’s the hand we’re dealt,” head coach Dip Metress said. “They scored the same amount of points from the free-throw line than we scored in the first half. You cannot win like that.”

Augusta shot 42.2 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from three-point range, while USC Aiken finished at 42.6 percent overall and 20.0 percent from beyond the arc. Despite similar shooting efficiency from the floor, the Pacers’ ability to consistently get to the line proved to be the difference.

Elias Pálsson led the Jaguars offensively with 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting, attacking the basket and keeping Augusta within striking distance throughout the night. Matias Zanotto followed with 13 points before fouling out late in the second half, further limiting Augusta’s depth in an already physical game.

Augusta trailed 30–26 at halftime and matched USC Aiken point-for-point in the second half with 45 points, but the early deficit and continued foul trouble kept the Jaguars from gaining momentum. The Pacers led for over 36 minutes and never relinquished control.

Rodney Scott was one of the bright spots for Augusta before suffering a season-ending injury. Scott was the Jaguars’ most effective player prior to going down, providing offensive stability in a difficult environment. He had 11 points and five steals.

“Rodney was our most effective player,” Metress said. “He broke his wrist, and now he’s done for the year.”

Scott’s injury was the last straw for an already challenging offensive night for Augusta, particularly from beyond the arc. The Jaguars made only 7 of 29 from behind the 3-point line.

“We gotta make them; we are going to have to do something to score,” Metress said. “Rodney (Scott) was the only guy who could score for us in the second half, then he goes down with injury. It’s going to cause us to grow up in a lot of areas.”

Charlie McBeath, the team’s second-leading scorer, was limited due to minor thigh pain, which contributed to his reduced minutes despite his desire to play. McBeath had no points in 10 minutes.

“He wanted to play, but he was hurting,” Metress said. “He’s a tough dude, a workhorse. I knew if he could go, he would go.”

For USC Aiken, McCaskill Rivers led all scorers with 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting and a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the free-throw line. Jonah Lawrence followed with 23 points, doing most of his damage at the stripe as well, shooting 19-of-20 from the free-throw line.

The loss marked Augusta’s third straight defeat against the Pacers, who snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 8–8 on the season and 3-5 in the Peach Belt Conference. Augusta moved to 8–11 overall and 3–6 in conference play but still leads the all-time series against USC Aiken, 54–34.

The Jaguars now turn their attention to a challenging road test, traveling to Dahlonega to face No. 10 North Georgia (in the NABC poll) on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The Nighthawks are currently tied for third in the conference standings.

Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.

Evan Joyner (0) flushes one for the Jaguars; Joyner finished with eight points and six rebounds. At the top of the page, AU’s  Elias Pálsson (8) goes up for a shot against USC Aiken. Pálsson finished with 23 points for the Jaguars. (photos by Lydia Williams/the Bell Ringer)

Jaguar point guard Rodney Scott (3) drives against USC Aiken. Scott had 11 points and five steals before leaving with a broken wrist that will keep him out for the rest of the season. (photo by Lydia Williams/the Bell Ringer)