Jaguars to open season in Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic
Staff report
Coach Dip Metress’s Jaguars will open the 2025-26 season On Nov. 1 at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla., against Washburn University.
That game at Jenkins Fieldhouse on the FSC campus will start at 1:15 p.m.
Washburn went 30-4 last season and made it to the NCAA Division II national semifinals before losing to Nova Southeastern, which was the eventual national champion.
AU will also play Sunday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m. against Lubbock (Texas) Christian.
Lubbock Christian went 25-9 before losing in the South Central Regional.
“We obviously drew two great programs, and it will be interesting how we respond with us having to replace our three top scorers,” Metress said. “These are exempt games, so it gives us an opportunity to play quality competition and have our regular season start earlier than usual.”
AU is coming off a 19-11 season. The Jaguars closed their season with a loss in the Southeast Regional to Lenoir-Rhyne.
In other hoops news, all-region and all-conference selection Demitri Gardner, who entered the transfer portal after the season, has signed with Fordham. Gardner was a Division II honorable mention all-American and AU’s leading scorer last season.
The other player who went into the portal, point guard John St. Germain III, has signed with Holy Cross.
Fordham plays in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference, and Holy Cross plays in the Patriot League.
The third outstanding player who will not return is center Max Amadasun. The all-conference post player has finished his eligibility.
Elias Palsson (8) and Evan Joyner (at the top of the page) are two key returning players for the Jaguars, who will start the season the first weekend of November at Florida Southern College. (photos by Paula Toole/AU Athletics)
