Austin Peay (1-1) vs. Samford (0-2)
Wednesday, November 19th, 2014 | 7:00pm CST
Homewood, AL | Pete Hanna Center
Birmingham, AL – After capturing its initial 2014-15 victory against Berea, Sunday, Austin Peay men’s basketball team will seek its first road victory, 7:00pm, Wednesday, at Samford in the Pete Hanna Center.
The Govs opened the season with a 77-70 loss at Western Kentucky, Saturday in their season opener.
A year ago the Govs clawed their way to an early season 88-86 win at Youngstown State in its third road tilt. The Governors hope to make it one game earlier this season with that first road conquest.To do so they will have to be able to handle the fullcourt pressure from first-year Samford coach Scott Padgett’s defense. The Rick Pitino protégé, who starred at Kentucky in the late 1990s, has watched his club get off to an 0-2 start. After losing to Big 10 foe Purdue by 40 points, the Bulldogs provided Pitt a stubborn challenge, losing 63-56 on the road. Tyler Hood is the only Samford player averaging in double figures at 14 points per game.
In addition to point guards Zavion Williams and Tre’ Ivory taking care of the basketball, the Govs also will need frontcourters Chris Horton and Chris Freeman to continue to do what they have been doing in the season’s initial two contests.
The 6-9 Horton recorded Austin Peay’s first triple-double since 2001 with a 15-point, 13-rebound, 10-block effort to earn co-Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honors. But it was his second-half performance that fueled the Govs furious comeback against Berea. He scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked eight shots in the final 20 minutes against the Mountaineers.
The other Chris, the senior forward Freeman, put together a career night against the Mountaineers, going off for a career-high 19 points and 10 boards for his third career double-double.
After struggling from the line against Western Kentucky, Austin Peay went 17-for-22 (77.3 percent) from the charity stripe against Berea. Free-throw shooting could be key if the Govs are to improve 2-1 in the early season.
What You Should Know
The Series: The Govs are 15-7 all-time against their former Ohio Valley Conference rival, with 12 coming from 2004-08 when the Bulldogs were an OVC institution. The two have met just twice since Samford departed for the Southern Conference, with the Govs picking up a 75-64 win in 2012 and the Bulldogs winning 85-63 a year ago.
Deeper Meanings
What A Loss Would Mean: The Govs drop to 1-2 in 2014…they would go to 1-2 in November…it would be the Govs second straight loss to Samford, which would mark the first time since 1995 Austin Peay lost two straight to the Bulldogs… Loos would drop to 466-406 overall and 384-353 as the Governors head coach.
Broadcast Information
Radio – Governors Sports Network
Play-by-Play: David Loos
Analyst: Brad Kirtley
Governors On The Web
Live Statistics
www.Samfordsports.com
Live Audio
www.LetsGoPeay.com