Austin Peay (4-6) vs. Evansville (7-4)
Saturday, December 17th, 2016 | 7:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – Finally finished with a grueling road trip, Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team returns home to the Dunn Center to square off against Evansville, 7:00pm, Saturday.
The Governors, shooting 46.9 percent as a team in 2016-17, look to keep up the good work against Wofford; Austin Peay shot 56.9 percent (29-for-51) against the Terriers, Thursday night.
Additionally, fans attending the game can receive a free ticket with the donation of an unopened toy to assist the Student Athlete Advisory Council’s Help an Elf drive.
Scouting the Purple Aces
Evansville isn’t known for scoring a lot; the Purple Aces average just 71.0 ppg, eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference. The gimmick with Marty Simmons’ squad is no gimmick at all, it’s defense; Evansville is allowing just 62.8 ppg (57.0 ppg in wins) and limiting opponents to 39.3 percent shooting from the floor and 29.4 percent from three, both marks second in the MVC.
Although not renowned as a three-point shooting team (3.9 3-point FG/g, last in the MVC), leading scorer Jaylon Brown (20.2 ppg, tops in the league) can step out and nail them; his 44.4 percent (12-for-27) mark ranks 10th in the conference.
Summing Up Wofford
The Govs got 28 points from Josh Robinson and shot 56.9 percent (37-for-62) as a group but all five Terrier starters scored in double figures in a 96-77 Governors loss in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Wofford hit 13 three-pointers, the third time this season and second in as many games that an opponent has hit 13 from beyond the arc against Austin Peay; opponents are now hitting 39.3 percent (95-for-242) this season.
Last Time Out Against Evansville
Wesley Channels fouled out with 5:47 to go, but timely free-throw shooting down the stretch saw Austin Peay knock off Evansville, 71-68, in the final pre-Christmas tilt of 2009. Anthony Campbell scored 17 points and hit two free-throws with 3.7 seconds left to seal the victory for Austin Peay.
The Purple Aces were whistled for a Dunn Center-record 36 fouls, but Austin Peay shot just 65.1 percent (28-for-43) from the line to allow Evansville to keep the contest close.
Keep An Eye On
The Govs have an average turnover margin of plus-9.8 in wins and minus-3.8 in losses.
Dobbs Breaks Out
Having seen just 22 minutes of action through the season’s first nine games, freshman Jartavious Dobbs made the most of his chances at Wofford. The Columbus, MS, native set career-highs in minutes (20), points (4), rebounds (6) and blocks (2), leading the Govs in the latter two categories.
With Wofford scoring 96 points, opponents are now averaging 99 points over the last four contests, the most in a four-game stretch since the 1971 campaign against Western Kentucky (117), Murray State (90), Carson-Newman (121) and Murray State (81).
Strange But True
In Austin Peay’s four wins in 2016-17, the Govs are shooting 60.9 percent from the free-throw line; in losses, Austin Peay is now at 73.2 percent (93-for-127) from the charity stripe, including a 15-for-16 showing at Fort Wayne that was best by the Govs since 2009.
Robinson needs three three-point field goals to break into the all-time APSU top-10.
Jones-ing for the Govs
After a season in Chris Horton‘s shadow, Kenny Jones is breaking out for the Govs. He’s averaging 16.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg and hitting 59.1 percent from the floor over the last eight contests, and holding his own defensively with 1.5 spg.
Free Admission in Help An Elf drive
Austin Peay State University’s athletics department and its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee are seeking help to make the holiday season a little brighter for local families. Fans attending the Governors basketball games Wednesday, December 14th may receive free admission with the donation of a toy to assist the department’s Help An Elf drive.
Fans can bring unopened toys (see the list of children’s ages below) to the men’s contest against Evansville. Only one toy per admission will be accepted at the gate.
The children being helped by the Austin Peay athletics department this season are:
12 year old girl
9 year old girl
7 year old boy
1½ year old girl
1-2 year old infant
The Annual Help an Elf program, developed by Austin Peay’s Student Affairs office, is designed to assist currently enrolled, full-time APSU students with holiday shopping by providing gifts for their children. Recipients of the holiday gifts will be children of income-eligible APSU students who are currently enrolled in 12 or more credit hours, and who are not participating in any off campus holiday gift programs.
The program has been a part of celebrating the holiday season and assisting APSU students and their families since 1994.
APSU Govs Online
Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay’s Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all Governor athletics, as well as the Governor men’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayMBB). Live stats will be available during the game at LetsGoPeay.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com.
Postgame video interviews and other videos from around APSU Athletics can be found on our YouTube page (www.youtube.com/letsgopeay).
