Jacksonville, AL – Sean Durugordon led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team was unable to overcome a hot-shooting Jacksonville State team and fell 70-53, Saturday, in ASUN Conference action at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
Guy Fauntleroy added 12 points and a career-high five steals for Austin Peay (8-15, 2-8 ASUN), while Cameron Copeland rounded out the scorers in double-figures with 11 points off the bench. Jacksonville State (10-13, 3-7 ASUN) was led by 15 points from Demaree King while Maros Zeliznak and Marcellus Brigham Jr. added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Trailing 9-3 just 3:03 into the contest, Durugordon went on a 10-0 run all by himself, drilling back-to-back three-pointers before scoring two more baskets to carry the Governors to a 13-9 lead at the 12:30 mark in the first half. The Govs held the lead until the 7:59 mark when a King three-pointer gave the Gamecocks a one-point advantage, 17-16.
Nathan Moore got the lead back for Austin Peay, hitting shots on back-to-back possessions to put the Governors ahead, 20-17, with 6:47 left in the first half. But a JSU three-pointer on the next trip down the floor erased the Govs’ final lead of the afternoon and the Gamecocks closed the first half on a 17-6 run to take a 34-26 lead into the intermission.
Despite Durugordon opening the second-half scoring with a slam dunk to bring the Governors back within six points, Jacksonville State was able to push its lead to double digits, 40-30, just 4:40 into the second period. The Govs got the deficit down to single digits when Nathan Moore hit a free throw with 8:48 left in the game and then cut the deficit to just seven points when Fauntleory knocked down a jumper with 7:27 to play.
With 5:15 remaining in the game, Rodrique Massenat knocked down a jump shot that brought Austin Peay State University back within eight points, 56-48, but that was the closest the Govs would get, and Jacksonville State closed the game on a 14-5 run to pick up its second-straight conference win.
The Difference
Free throws. Jacksonville State made more free throws than Austin Peay State University attempted. The Gamecocks went 21-for-32 at the free-throw line while the Governors went just 8-of-14. In the second half alone, JSU went 19-for-28 at the stripe while the APSU Govs attempted just six free throws.
APSU Notably
Austin Peay State University turned the ball over just nine times and forced Jacksonville State to commit 15 turnovers, but the teams were even with a dozen points off turnovers each.
The APSU Govs bench outscored the JSU reserves, 21-18.
Sean Durugordon scored in double-figures and led the APSU Govs in the scoring for the third-straight game.
Durugordon has scored in double-figures in a team-best 17 games and has led the Governors in scoring in a team-high 11 games.
Durugordon also grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds and has now led the Governors on the glass in a team-best 11 games.
Guy Fauntleroy scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season and the third time in APSU’s last seven games.
Cameron Copeland scored in double-figures for the 12th time this season and the 24th time at Austin Peay State University.
Fauntleroy added a career-best five steals in the contest, which is the second-best performance by a Governor this season.
Carlos Paez led Austin Peay State University with three assists, it was the team-leading 14th time this season and 64th time in his career that he has led the Govs in assists.
Paez has now recorded 403 assists in his collegiate career.
Nathan Moore scored a career-high six points and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the floor.
Rodrique Massenat scored five points and grabbed a career-best three rebounds in the contest, he also matched his career-high with an assist.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
Austin Peay returns home for its penultimate homestand at the Winfield Dunn Center when it hosts Liberty, on February 2nd, for Military Appreciation Night. The Governors then take on Queens, on February 4th, on Austin Peay State University College of STEM Day before hitting the road again to play North Alabama, on February 9th, and Central Arkansas, on February 11th.
For news and updates on everything Governors men’s basketball, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsMBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
