Fayetteville State men’s basketball’s home opener on Tuesday at Felton J. Capel Arena was a banger.
Tairell Fletcher’s 3-pointer swished the net as time expired to give the Broncos a 77-76 win over Augusta, ranked No. 10 in the country and coming off an NCAA Division II national championship appearance in 2022. The Broncos bench stormed the court and players celebrated with fans in the stands after the buzzer-beating finish in a frenetic, energized environment.
It was FSU’s first win over the Jaguars (2-1) in four tries, and in their last two meetings over the last two seasons, Augusta won by an average of 12.5 points. But not this time.
Fletcher’s 3 capped a 27-point outing for the Frostburg State transfer whom Broncos coach Luke D’Alessio called his top priority among recruits in the offseason. “Once I saw he was in the transfer portal, I had to get him,” D’Alessio said.
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Working through JUCO ranks at Eastern Oklahoma College Arkansas Baptist after playing high school basketball in Tennessee at West Creek, Fletcher averaged 18.6 points and 5.0 rebounds last season at Frostburg State.
His buzzer-beater came after a Broncos’ 15-0 run that erased a 14-point Augusta lead and put FSU (3-0) up 63-62 with 6:10 remaining. Kaleb Coleman scored eight points with a pair of 3-pointers and blocked a shot during the run while the Broncos’ defense held the Jaguars 0-for-5 from the field.
“We made them earn everything,” D’Alessio said on the Broncos’ postgame show. “We have some really good pieces. I’m pleased with the team.”
After FSU took its first lead since the game was one minute old, the Jaguars went back in front and led by four with 2:03 remaining. Fletcher hit a jumper to cut the deficit to two and then D’Marco Baucum came up with a steal and Fletcher drew a foul. He made his free throws to tie the game at 74 with 47 seconds remaining.
FSU missed an opportunity to take the lead, going 0-for-2 from the line on its next possession, and a Ja’Queze Kirby jumper gave Augusta a 76-74 lead with just 5 seconds remaining.
But that was enough time for Fletcher. He dribbled up the left sideline and then cut toward the key behind a screen, set his feet and let it fly.
Caleb Simmons had 17 points and seven rebounds for FSU and Coleman added 13 points and six boards. Sean Tony Hauser had seven rebounds and Baucum provided three steals, five points and four rebounds.
Up next for the Broncos is a trip to Atlanta for games against Morehouse and Talladega this weekend. Their next home game is Saturday, Dec. 9, against Virginia State (2 p.m.).
The FSU women’s basketball team is off to a 2-0 start and hosts UNC Pembroke on Wednesday at 6 p.m.