Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team scored 42 second-half points to conclude its nonconference schedule with a 64-51 victory against UNC Asheville, Wednesday, in the Winfield Dunn Center.
Shamarre Hale scored a game-high 15 points and made six of her seven shots from the field, as Austin Peay (5-5) secured its second-straight win ahead of its inaugural ASUN Conference slate following the New Year.
UNC Asheville (4-7) jumped out to a 5-2 lead three minutes into the game, with all five points coming off Austin Peay turnovers. The Bulldogs, however, would only score two more points off APSU mishaps for the remainder of the game.
Tiya Douglas ended a three-and-a-half-minute APSU scoring drought with a three-pointer as time expired in the first quarter, trimming the Govs’ deficit to 12-9. The triple also ended a streak of seven-straight misses from deep for the Govs.
UNC Asheville opened the second quarter with a three-pointer which was answered by a 6-0 APSU run to force the second tie of the afternoon. Mariah Adams began the run with a layup, while Hale then scored six straight APSU points in 90 seconds.
Trailing 18-17 following Hale’s third-straight make, neither team could best the other’s defense for nearly three minutes, until UNCA’s McKinley Brooks-Sumpter extended UNCA’s lead to three with 4:36 remaining in the half.
The Bulldogs went 2-for-2 from the line following Adams’ third score of the day, while Hale’s fifth makes in as many attempts tied the game at 22 with 1:16 left. UNCA scored on their next possession which gave it a 24-22 lead heading into the half.
After being held to 26.7 percent from the field in the opening quarter, the Govs shot a game-high 54.5 percent from the field in the second which was led by Hale’s 4-of-4 mark from the field. Hale led APSU with nine points in the second quarter alone, scoring eight of its 12 points in the paint.
Anala Nelson assisted on both of Austin Peay State University’s baskets to open the half, with the first coming on a layup by Kirven seconds into the penultimate quarter and the latter a Yamia Johnson three-pointer which gave the APSU Govs their first lead of the afternoon.
The Govs and Bulldogs traded the next three scores – all coming from three-point range – which led to an APSU timeout with the score tied at 32.
Douglas ended a two-minute scoreless streak with her third triple of the night, which again was answered by an UNCA three-pointer. A pair of free throws by Hale followed by a quarter-ending layup by Adams gave Austin Peay State University a 39-35 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
UNCA trimmed their deficit to five two minutes later, but it was the closest they would get as the Govs held off any late comeback attempt by the Bulldogs by making all eight of their attempts at the line when UNCA began to intentionally foul. Johnson and Adams combined for 13 of APSU’s 25 fourth-quarter points.
The Difference
Rebounding. Austin Peay State University outrebounded their opponent for the third time this season and the first since November 23rd against Illinois-Chicago. The plus-10 rebounding margin was APSU’s second highest of the season, trailing only a plus-14 margin against Cumberland in the season opener, November 7th.
Austin Peay State University’s 13 offensive rebounds and 37 total rebounds were tied for its most this season and helped lead to a season-best 19 second-chance points.
Inside the Box Score
Austin Peay State University improved to 2-0 all-time against UNC Asheville and 6-1 against the Big South Conference.
The Governors finished 2022 10-1 in the Winfield Dunn Center.
Ashlei Kirven played 16 minutes in her first-career Division I start and led the team with nine rebounds and finished with six points.
Kirven’s nine rebounds were her most as a Gov, tied her career-high, and were the second-most by a Governor this season, trailing only a 10-rebound performance by Gabby Zapata Smalls against Cumberland on November 7th.
Jada Roberson surpassed 400 career rebounds with her first of eight rebounds against the Bulldogs.
Shamarre Hale led Austin Peay State University in scoring for the first time this season.
Hale’s .857 field-goal percentage was the highest by a Gov this season.
Mariah Adams extended her made free-throw streak to 17 after going 6-for-6 from the line.
Adams’ seven assists are the most by a Gov since Ella Sawer dished out eight assists against UNC Asheville on December 16th, 2021.
Tiya Douglas had a season-high three made three-pointers which also matched her career high.
With her first quarter-ending three-pointer, Douglas extended APSU’s streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 477 games.
With 10 points in the win, Yamia Johnson now has scored at least 10 points in four of the last five games.
APSU outshot UNCA 43.4 to 35.4 percent. The Govs are 23-6 under head coach Brittany Young when they shoot better from the field than their opponent.
Austin Peay State University’s 32 points in the paint were its fifth-most in a game this season. APSU has won 20 of its last 22 games when it outscores the opponent in the painted area.
Coach’s Corner
With APSU head women’s basketball coach Brittany Young
Opening thoughts… “There is still work to be done after this one. Like we said after the Murray State win, it is a process, and we want to be a little bit better game-by-game. I thought we were a little stagnate early on. I know some people watching the first half would see 24 [UNCA] points and point out how much of a defensive battle it was, but we thought we had them a little too comfortable. We made a few adjustments at halftime to quick hits in our zone offense that helped with the flow. At the end of the day, we found a way to win and that is the biggest thing. It wasn’t pretty but we got the win.”
On the win… “Getting the win is very important for a lot of different reasons. First, we have goals and aspirations. We may not be exactly where we want to be, but the win does bring us back to .500 which is big. We also talked about it before the game, but we only lost two games in the Dunn Center in 2022… We have to protect this place. Teams should not be able to come in here and walk away with a win. Establishing that tone as we head into ASUN play is important. We have won our last two games after suffering a losing streak is big.”
On the upcoming ASUN season… “Everything goes up a level when you get to conference play. The intensity, the emotions, the competitiveness… games really mean more. I am expecting us to rise to the occasion and go up a level as well. The biggest difference in the ASUN and our former conference is that the OVC had a lot of teams we were used to playing and rivalries that had been established. It is a talented league. We have been scouting and watching all those teams every time they play. It is a talented league.”
Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball
With its nonconference season now behind it, the Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team prepares for its inaugural ASUN Conference slate. The APSU Govs tip off ASUN play with back-to-back road games, beginning with a January 2nd, 5:00pm CT game against fellow league newcomer, Queens in Charlotte, North Carolina.
