APSU Sports Information
Memphis, TN – A nearly six-minute second-half opening drought doomed Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team in a 65-60 nonconference loss to Memphis, Tuesday night, at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
Leading 30-28 at halftime, Austin Peay (1-6) went scoreless for the opening 5:34 of the second half, going 0-for-6 from the floor and committing two turnovers.
Junior guard Tiasha Gray broke the drought with a backdoor cut and layup at the 14:26 mark. Junior forward Jennifer Nwokocha followed with a fast-break layup to slash the deficit to seven points. But a 7-2 Memphis run, punctuated by a Mooriah Rowser three-pointer, pushed the deficit to 12 points, 48-36, just two minutes later.
Austin Peay did not fold and spent the next four minutes chopping away at its deficit, ultimately cutting it to three points, 51-48 with 8:42 left, as a Gray jumper ended a 12-3 run.
The Lady Govs would have two opportunities to tie or take the lead in the final 6:45 but could not convert either time. Austin Peay closed the game by making just one of its final nine shots.
“I was pleased to see us fight back after Memphis took the lead in the second half,” said Lady Govs head coach Carrie Daniels. “We got it back within a possession and had a lot of good looks at the basket but couldn’t get the shot to fall. It’s disappointing because we were so close, but I believe it’s another sign this team has a lot of fight in it.”
The Lady Govs got a full-team effort in the first half as eight different players scored in the frame. Sophomore forward Beth Rates scored the game’s first six points, but the first half was dominated by see-saw play that included seven ties and five lead changes.
Austin Peay broke the final tie with a 6-0 run that was keyed by five points from junior forward Jennifer Nwokocha. The Lady Govs held a six-point lead again at the 1:20 mark, but Memphis closed the frame with a 6-2 run to leave Austin Peay holding a 30-28 halftime lead.
“We had a lot of people step up in the first half and give us incredible effort,” said Daniels. “Our bench helped us battle through a rough spot in the half and eventually helped us get the lead. Their play sparked us to end the half and we need more of it as the season moves on.”
Gray led Austin Peay for the third consecutive game, scoring a game-best 19 points while adding seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. Rates finished with 10 points while sophomore guard April Rivers and Nwokocha each added seven points off the bench.
Ariel Hearn and Rowser each scored 15 points to pace Memphis’ offense. The Tigers dominated the boards in the second half, posting a 24-13 edge in the half after both teams fought to a 20-20 rebounding stalemate in the first half.
Austin Peay returns home to start a three-game homestand with a 2:00pm, Saturday contest against NAIA foe Brescia.
Box Score
Memphis 65 (3-4) vs Austin Peay 60 (1-6)
| 1 | 2 | Total | Records | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay | 30 | 30 | 60 | 1-6 |
| Memphis | 28 | 37 | 65 | 3-4 |
Austin Peay 60
| ## | Player | FGM-FGA | 3FGM-3FGA | FTM-FTA | OFF-DEF | TOT | PF | TP | A | TO | BLK | STL | MIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gray, Tiasha | 8-16 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 0-6 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 37 |
| 24 | Rates, Beth | 4-9 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| 25 | Banks, Tearra | 4-8 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 |
| 4 | Stainback, Kristen | 2-12 | 0-4 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
| 42 | Norton, Symantha | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | Rivers, April | 3-4 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 2-1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| 21 | Nwokocha, Jennifer | 3-5 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1-5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| 12 | Rich, Madison | 0-2 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 44 | Scott, Jacey | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 23 | Gooch, Sydney | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 0 | TEAM | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4-0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 24-58 | 3-13 | 9-15 | 11-22 | 33 | 18 | 60 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 200 | |
| Percentages | 41.4% | 23.1% | 60.0% |
Memphis 65
| ## | Player | FGM-FGA | FGM3-FGA3 | FTM-FTA | OFF-DEF | TOT | PF | TP | A | TO | BLK | STL | MIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | HEARN, Ariel | 6-13 | 0-2 | 3-5 | 1-5 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 27 |
| 24 | ROWSER, Mooriah | 6-16 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 0-3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 33 |
| 22 | WRIGHT, Brianna | 4-5 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 5-8 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 33 |
| 21 | FUQUA-BEY, Asianna | 2-3 | 0-0 | 4-4 | 2-3 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 03 | WILLIAMS, Taylor | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 05 | ELMORE, Brea | 3-10 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
| 10 | CREIGHTON, Cheyenne | 2-4 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 2-1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 11 | HOLMES, Amber | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 01 | WILDER-COCHRAN, B. | 1-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 5-3 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 28 |
| 32 | POWELL, Courtney | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| TM | TEAM | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 26-63 | 4-14 | 9-16 | 18-26 | 44 | 17 | 65 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 200 | |
| Percentages | 41. % | 28.6% | 56.3% |
