Augusta State Knocks Out Wingate From NCAA Tournament

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The Augusta State University men's basketball team closed the game with a 22-10 run to take a 78-65 victory over Wingate University Sunday afternoon in the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional tournament in Christenberry Fieldhouse on the ASU campus.

The defending NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional champions, Wingate concludes the 2007-08 campaign 24-7 overall. Augusta State is 24-6 overall. The Jaguars will play either Lenoir-Rhyne or Clayton State Tuesday night in the regional championship game. The tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Wingate All-American senior forward/guard Sean Barnette (Rock Hill, S.C.) posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Redshirt senior center Bryan Grier (Charlotte, N.C.) had 14 points and seven blocked shots for the visitors. Bulldog junior forward/guard DeMario Mattox (Rocky Mount, Va.) added 10 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists.

For Augusta State, Tyrekus 'AJ' Bowman tied a career-high with 33 points. The Peach Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year, Bowman hit 14-of-23 field goals with four three-point baskets. The senior also had a game-best 12 rebounds and four steals.

The Wingate Bulldogs began the game on a tear, hitting 10 of their first 19 field goals, including five three-pointers. The barrage allowed the visitors to open a 27-17 lead over the first 12 minutes. Barnette was nearly untouchable during the flurry, as the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year hit three of the five three-pointers, including back-to-back trifectas as he scored 11 points in the first frame.

Augusta State answered with a 16-6 run to end the opening stanza. Ben Madgen scored nine of his 11 first-half points in the final eight minutes as the Jaguars tallied the final five points to tie the score at 33 heading into intermission. Wingate was largely without defensive force Bryan Grier, who was limited to five minutes of first-half play after the NCAA Division II career blocked shots leader picked up two early fouls.

Wingate began the second half much the same way they began the first as senior guard Sam Holmes (Danville, Va.) hit a pair of three-pointers surrounding a Grier dunk to open up a 41-35 lead. Augusta State responded with Garret Siler, who scored three straight baskets to tie the game at 41.

The Bulldogs led 55-53 following a three from senior guard Ernest Mangum (New London, N.C.) before Augusta State started a run that closed out the game. Bowman hit back-to-back three-pointers and scored 14 points in the final eight minutes as the ASU Jaguars outscored the Bulldogs 22-10 to close out the contest. Wingate went 4:46 without a point, missing six straight shots and committing seven turnovers. Augusta State ended the game with 10 steals.

Siler scored 19 with six rebounds and five blocks for the Jaguars, while Madgen had 21 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Jaguars shot 44.4 percent for the game (28-for-63). The hosts hit 51.5 percent (17-for-33) in the decisive second half. The Bulldogs shot 41 percent (25-of-61) from the field and made 10 three-pointers as a team. ASU outrebounded Wingate 46-31.

The ASU contest was the final contest for five Wingate seniors: Barnette, Grier, Mangum, Holmes and Ryan Thys (Raleigh, N.C.). Wingate won 49 games during the last two seasons. The Bulldogs participated in three NCAA tournaments during the careers of Wingate's senior quintet.

The Bulldog men's basketball team made the best run in SAC men's basketball history in 2006-07. Wingate (25-9 overall, 11-5 SAC in 2006-07) won the Food Lion SAC Tournament for the second consecutive season in 2007. The Bulldogs took the 2007 South Atlantic Regional title on their way to becoming the first SAC men's basketball team to participate in an NCAA Division II Elite Eight event.