Turnovers, missed free throws doom AU in narrow loss against Columbus State
By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in Chief
Another night at Christenberry Fieldhouse ended the same way it has too often lately for Augusta University men’s basketball—close, competitive and ultimately painful.
Columbus State held off a late Augusta push to secure a 70–67 road win Wednesday night, Feb. 4, handing the Jaguars their fourth consecutive loss and dropping them to 9–15 overall and 4–10 in Peach Belt Conference play. Despite a strong first half and multiple chances to flip the game late, Augusta could not overcome missed free throws, turnovers and a rebounding deficit in the final minutes.
Students and fans throw new stuffed animals onto the court after Evan Joyner drilled a jumper for AU’s first points. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
Despite the result, the crowd remained engaged throughout, even after they participated in the annual “Stuff the stadium” tradition, which sees students and fans throw new stuffed animals after AU scores it’s first points. AU Athletics said that 2,378 stuffed animals were thrown onto the court.
Augusta came out sharp offensively, shooting 48.3 percent in the first half and knocking down nine three-pointers to take a 42–31 lead into the break. Elias Palsson was a major catalyst early, connecting from deep and helping the Jaguars play with pace and confidence. Columbus State, however, never let the game get away and steadily chipped back in the second half.
The turning point came after halftime, when Augusta’s offensive efficiency dipped and Columbus State began to control the flow. The Cougars outscored Augusta 39–25 in the second half, shooting 50 percent from the field while capitalizing on Jaguar mistakes.
“In the second half, we went three for seven at the free throw line and we turned it over nine times,” AU coach Dip Metress said. “We can’t miss those free throws, and we cannot not shoot the ball.”
Those missed opportunities loomed large in a game that came down to the final possessions. Augusta finished the night shooting just 61.5 percent from the free-throw line, while Columbus State converted at a higher rate when it mattered. The Jaguars also committed 14 turnovers, nine of which came after halftime, leading to easy points for the Cougars. CSU only six miscues.
Rebounding proved equally costly. Columbus State won the battle on the glass 37–28 and grabbed key offensive boards late that prevented Augusta from regaining momentum. Palsson pointed to that deficiency as a major reason the game slipped away.
“It is bad that we cannot get the rebounds in the end, and it is heartbreaking that we loss,” Palsson said. “We have to be confident in our team in order to win games. It is our priority to win games, and we have to continue to try.”
Palsson finished with a team-high 20 points and was one of the few Jaguars who consistently found rhythm on offense. Matías Zanotto also provided a spark off the bench, scoring 16 points, grabbing seven boards, and giving Augusta valuable energy during key stretches.
“He gave us great minutes,” Metress said of Zanotto.
For Zanotto, the performance was a step forward after recent inconsistency, though it did little to ease the sting of another close loss.
“I was coming from a couple of games where I had some up and downs, and after I hit my first couple of shots, that helped me carry on with the decision-making process,” Zanotto said. “But it wasn’t enough.”
That sentiment echoed a recurring theme for Augusta this season, promising moments undone by late-game execution. The Jaguars led for more than 34 minutes, built a double-digit advantage in the first half, and still found themselves searching for answers afterward.
“That is the problem that we need to figure out,” Zanotto said. “We were too passive, instead of going out there and closing out the game. It happened last week, we had a four-point lead with 40 seconds to go and we lost too.”
Columbus State, meanwhile, leaned on balance and discipline. Lee Langstaff II led the Cougars with 17 points, while Marlon Smith and Pascal Volz combined for 24 more. The Cougars’ ability to value possessions and rebound late proved decisive, as they spent more than 34 minutes of game time playing with the lead.
Despite the frustration, Metress emphasized accountability and urgency moving forward as the Jaguars attempt to halt the skid.
“Let’s hope we learn from this,” he said. “We will address these things first thing tomorrow at 8 o’clock.”
The Jags will return to action this weekend, as they travel to Milledgville to face off against Georgia College on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
For this team, the margin between winning and losing remains thin. Confidence, rebounding and late-game poise continue to define outcomes, and until those areas improve, close games like Tuesday’s may keep slipping away.
In the women’s game, league-leading CSU (12-2, 18-3) got 25 points from Letiya Reeves to gain a 73-64 PBC win over the Jaguars (9-7, 14-7). Quinasia Abercrombie delivered a standout performance for the Jaguars, finishing with 21 points and 15 rebounds, but Augusta was unable to overcome a turnover-heavy start and a sharp-shooting Columbus State squad.
Columbus State set the tone immediately, forcing turnovers on multiple early possessions and turning those mistakes into quick points. The Cougars opened the game on a strong run, building a double-digit advantage by the end of the first quarter. Augusta settled in during the second period and matched Columbus State basket for basket, but still trailed by nine heading into halftime.
Despite the deficit, the Jaguars showed resilience coming out of the break. Abercrombie continued to control the paint on both ends, creating second-chance opportunities and anchoring Augusta’s interior presence. Late in the third quarter, Augusta began to find momentum.
A three-pointer from Sierra Burns sparked the run, trimming the gap to eight before Sa’Niah Dorsey followed with a deep shot of her own to bring the Jaguars within five. The Christenberry crowd responded as Augusta closed the quarter trailing 58–53 and appeared poised to challenge in the final 10 minutes.
That surge, however, proved to be the closest Augusta would get. Columbus State responded with composure in the fourth quarter, stretching the lead back to double digits behind perimeter shooting and disciplined ball movement. The Cougars knocked down key three-pointers and continued to benefit from Augusta turnovers, preventing the Jaguars from sustaining any late push.
Dorsey finished with 11 points for Augusta, Elyse Autrey also contributed 11 points and dished out five assists, while Amari Jackson added 10 points and three rebounds. Augusta shot efficiently overall, connecting on 41 percent of its attempts from the floor, but struggled to find consistency from beyond the arc.
While the Jaguars held an edge in field-goal percentage, Columbus State’s success from long range made the difference. The Cougars hit nine three-pointers on the night compared to just one for Augusta. Turnovers also played a decisive role, as Columbus State converted 29 Augusta miscues into 28 points, while the Jaguars managed only eight points off turnovers.
Despite the result, Abercrombie’s double-double highlighted another strong individual effort in a season filled with competitive conference matchups. Augusta will look to clean up ball security and perimeter defense as it continues Peach Belt play and prepares for the final stretch of the regular season.
The Jaguar women will play at Georgia College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
At the top of the page, Elias Palsson (8) rises over the defense to hit one of his four 3-pointers. The sophomore from Iceland finished with a team-high 20 points. Below, Matias Zannoto leaves the follow through after hitting his second 3-pointer of the night. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
AU’s Amari Jackson goes in for a layup past the Cougars’ Nekaya Williams (4) as Jaguar point guard Elyse Autrey (21) trails the play. Jackson had 10 points in 19th-ranked CSU’s 73-64 win over the home team. (photo by Lara Shayeb/the Bell Ringer)
AU fans dumped 2,378 stuff toys on Stuff the Stadium Night at Christenberry Fieldhouse. According to AU Athletics, that was a record for stuff toys collected at the annual event. (photo by Lara Shayeb/the Bell Ringer)
