Jaguars to host Southeast Regional in NCAA Division II Tournament

Augusta University will play host to the Southeast Regional of the NCAA Division II Tournament, beginning Saturday at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

The men’s basketball team defeated Flagler College 82-71 on March 5 to capture the Peach Belt Conference Tournament crown. The victory earned the Jaguars the conference’s automatic bid into the tournament as well as one of the eight No. 1 seeds. Tyshaun Crawford and Miguel Arnold each led the Jaguars with 22 points in the title game while Troy Cracknell added 14 points and Tyree Myers had 11.

Head coach Dip Metress led the Jaguars to a 28-3 record this season, including 17-0 at home, and finished the regular season and conference tournament on a 14-game winning streak by an average of 16.1 points per game.

Augusta University will face eighth-seeded Belmont Abbey at 5 p.m. Saturday in Game 3. Sixth-seed Georgia College will face No. 3 seed Lincoln Memorial in Game 1 at noon while seventh seed Columbus State will face No. 2 seed Queens (Charlotte) in Game 2 at 2:30 p.m. Flagler, who enters the tournament as the fifth seed, will face fourth seed UNC Pembroke at 7:30 in the nightcap.

The winners of Games 1 and 2 advance to the regional semifinals at 5 p.m. Sunday while the Game 3 and 4 winners will play at 7:30 p.m. Those winners will square off in the regional final at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15.