AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta University men's basketball team is ranked No. 18 in the nation on the Division II Men's Basketball National Preseason Poll, sponsored by D2SIDA.
Augusta vs. Mount Olive
Augusta vs. Barton
The Men's Basketball Division II Media Poll is in its second year of existence. The regional poll is released on Monday, followed by the national poll every Tuesday. Augusta is the only Peach Belt team ranked in the top 25 by D2SIDA.
The Jaguars officially tip the season this Friday, Nov. 11 when they take on Mount Olive on the campus of Barton College in Wilson, N.C. The Jags look for revenge against Mount Olive, after the Trojans won the last meeting 87-83 on Nov. 29, 2015 in Christenberry Fieldhouse. The two teams also met in the first round of the 2015 NCAA DII Tournament on March 14, 2015 and Mount Olive prevailed 84-75.
Augusta almost shocked Wichita State on their home floor in a 73-67 exhibition game loss Nov. 5. The Jags trailed by one point with under four minutes remaining in the exhibition game and were led by All-American Keshun Sherrill's game-high 33 points.
Entering his 13th year, head coach Dip Metress welcomes back two-time All-American Keshun Sherrill for his senior season; he was third in the league in scoring with 23.3 points per game last season and was named to the preseason All-Conference team on Wednesday. Also back is junior Tamyrik Fields who was second on the team in scoring with 11.8 per game.
Joining the other upperclassmen are returning sophomores Ja'Shawn Brooks, Aaron Byrd, Tyvez Monroe and Deane Williams, all of whom played significant minutes as freshmen last year. Metress also signed four new student-athletes in the offseason.
2016-17 DII Media Poll Sponsored by D2SIDA (Preseason)
Rank School
1 West Liberty
2 Lincoln Memorial
3 Bellarmine
4 Alabama-Huntsville
5 Northwest Missouri
6 Tarleton State
T-7California Baptist
T-7 Saginaw Valley State
9 St. Thomas Aquinas
10 Midwestern State
11 Chico State
12 Barry
13 Minnesota State Mankato
14 Augustana (S.D.)
15 Southern Connecticut St.
16 Alaska Anchorage
17 Fairmont State
18 Augusta (GA)
19 Arkansas Fort Smith
20 Angelo State
21 Findlay
22 West Georgia
23 Fort Lewis
24 Southern New Hampshire
25 Wheeling Jesuit
Also receiving votes: Washburn, Virginia State, Young Harris, Colorado Mines, Azusa Pacific, Quincy, Western Oregon, King, Indiana (PA), Kutztown, Minnesota State - Moorhead, Delta State, Ferris State, Drury, West Texas A&M, Saint Leo.
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