Print edition: 
AUGUSTA — Augusta's Travis Erwin didn't play football in the fall, but maybe he should have. Erwin muscled up, banged around and controlled the paint in Augusta's 55-46 win against Rose Hill on Tuesday night.
Erwin scored a game-high 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and led Augusta in the decisive third quarter.
"We got fired up now that we can beat Rose Hill since they have beaten us the past years... we stepped it up quite a bit," Erwin said.
Augusta (11-4) outscored Rose Hill 22-10 in the third quarter, as Erwin scored 11. Three of Erwin's baskets came on offensive rebounds and Augusta made 3 of 5 threes after making 2 of 12 to start the game.
"We had some kids step up and make some threes and that takes a little pressure off," Augusta coach David Stephenson said. "The kids stepped up in the third quarter and gave us a cushion."
The third quarter was the only one that either team controlled. It's the point in the game that Rose Hill coach Rocky Stone knows is the difference maker.
"I thought in the third quarter we got outplayed," Stone said. "The way a team comes out and plays after halftime is really going to dictate who wins the ballgame and they won the third quarter."
Rose Hill (9-6) never matched Augusta' physical play inside. It frustrated Tyler Shirley, who scored 10 points, and fouled out.
"We were just trying to keep our defense really good and be in their face and keep pounding them," Erwin said. "That's pretty important, some of them drained it in our face but we stepped up and kept them at bay."
Rose Hill went on a 9-2 run to close to within 50-46 with two minutes to go, but missed rebounding opportunities stopped its momentum.
Erwin missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1:30 left, but got a tipped rebound back and scored to give Augusta a 52-46 lead.
"That was an absolute killer," Stone said. "I don't think we matched their physical prowess. I think we backed off somewhat. I think to beat a team like that you have to match their physical prowess. I was a little disappointed in my team in that standpoint."
Rose Hill had four more possessions but came up empty. Two turnovers and zero second-chance points was the key for Stephenson.
"We just focused on taking care of the ball and defensive rebounding," Stephenson said. "We know they are going to make a run, they are too good of a team not to. They hit some threes in our face, but that's going to happen with them."
Rose Hill 9 12 10 15 — 46 Augusta11 10 22 12 — 55
ROSE HILL: Rapp 13, Newton 11, Shirley 10, Paddock 4, Khalidi 4, Braddy 2, Richards 2. Totals 17 (5) 7-13 46.
AUGUSTA: Erwin 15, Furr 14, Carman 8, Smith 8, Clausing 7, Richmond 3, Pattterson 0. Totals 22 (6) 5-11 55.
