Austin Peay (8-16 | 2-9 ASUN) vs. Queens (15-9 | 5-6 ASUN)
Saturday, February 4th, 2023 | 3:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – Looking to end a quick two-game homestand on the right foot, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team hosts Queens University for an ASUN Conference rematch, Saturday, on Austin Peay State University College of STEM Day in the Winfield Dunn Center. The tip-off is at 3:00pm.
Austin Peay (8-16, 29 ASUN) dropped its last game to Liberty, Thursday, in the Dunn Center and currently sits in fourth place in the ASUN Conference standings with seven games left to play. Queens (15-9, 5-6 ASUN) also dropped its Thursday contest, falling at Lipscomb, and is now tied for sixth place in the conference standings.
Saturday’s game against Queens is sponsored by the University Landing and is Austin Peay State University College of STEM Day inside the Dunn Center. The College of STEM will be giving away t-shirts while supplies last and will have liquid nitrogen ice cream available along with other activities for fans on the third floor of the Dunn Center. Coleman Tractor and Kubota also will have tractors and other equipment outside the front entrance of the Dunn Center for College of STEM Day.
Austin Peay State University will also recognize its 2023 Hall of Fame Class during halftime of Saturday’s game. Tatiana Ariza (women’s soccer), Anthony Bradley (men’s golf), Jordan Hankins (baseball), Johnny Williams (men’s track and field), and Dr. Bruce Myers (faculty athletics representative) will be honored on the court at halftime after being inducted as Austin Peay’s 45th Hall of Fame Class during a ceremony on Friday night.
Saturday’s game against Queens will be streamed on ESPN+ with Barry Gresham and Bob Belvin on the call.
About the Queens Royals
Playing in its first ASUN season while transitioning to the Division I level, Queens was picked to finish 13th in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and 14th in the Media Poll. However, the Royals are 15-9 overall and tied for sixth in the ASUN with a 5-6 record in conference play.
KenPom.com rates the Royals as the 208th-best team in the NCAA with a -2.79 adjusted efficiency margin. Queens has the third-best offense in the ASUN and the 92nd-best in the country per KenPom, scoring 109.4 points per 100 possessions.
Queens is tied for 24th in the NCAA and leads the ASUN in scoring offense, averaging 80.0 points per game.
Queens ranks third in the ASUN in assists per game (14.8) and three-pointers made per game (9.9).
The Royals have two of the top-10 scorers in the ASUN with Kenny Dye (16.9 ppg) and AJ McKee (15.4 ppg) ranking third and seventh in the league, respectively.
Dye also leads the ASUN with 121 total assists and 5.0 assists per game.
Gavin Rains averages an ASUN-leading 10.2 rebounds and 2.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Series History and Lasting Meeting
The second meeting in a series that dates back to 2022, Queens leads the all-time series, 1-0, after winning the first meeting earlier in the season.
In the first ASUN Conference game for both programs, Queens erased a 14-point halftime deficit and beat the Govs, 81-77, on December 22nd, 2022, at Curry Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. Elijah Hutchins-Everett led Austin Peay State University with 24 points and eight rebounds while Sean Durugordon added 20 points and nine rebounds. For the Royals, Kenny Dye led the way with 27 points.
APSU Notably
Austin Peay State University’s defense ranks third in the ASUN Conference in steals per game (7.1) and three-point defense (.324).
The Governors rank fourth in the ASUN and 54th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+2.2), they also rank third in the ASUN and 89th in the NCAA in turnovers forced per game (14.2).
Austin Peay State University is shooting 73.1 percent from the free-throw line this season, that mark ranks fifth in the ASUN Conference and 118th in the NCAA.
The APSU Govs also rank fourth in the ASUN in free throws made per game (12.2) and fifth in free throws attempted per game (16.8).
Austin Peay State University only turns the ball over 12.0 times per contest, which ranks fifth in the ASUN Conference and 110th in the country.
APSU is averaging 10.1 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the conference.
Austin Peay State University has used 12 different starting lineups this season, which is tied for the fourth most in the NCAA. The Govs have had a different starting five in each of their last six games.
The Governors are still 6-6 at home this season and a dozen of Nate James‘ 20 wins at APSU have come on Dave Loos Court.
The Governors are rated as the 311th-best team in the country on KenPom.com. Austin Peay State University scores 98.7 points per 100 possessions and allows 110.5 points per 100 possessions, which gives it a -11.83 adjusted efficiency margin.
After Saturday’s game against Queens, there are just two more regular-season contests left in the Winfield Dunn Center for the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team. The final game in the Dunn Center will be against North Florida on February 18th.
Tickets
Season and single-game tickets are on sale for the 2022-23 APSU men’s basketball season! Fans can purchase their tickets for the final season in the Winfield Dun Center online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the Austin Peay State University Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329).
APSU Govs Online
For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay State University Athletics, check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Facebook. To keep up with the APSU men’s basketball team, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsMBB). Live stats will be available during all home games and select road games at PeayStats.com.
In addition, all Austin Peay State University home games, ASUN games, and select road games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the men’s basketball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team heads back on the road for a pair of games, starting with a Thursday 7:45pm contest against North Alabama at Flowers Hall in Florence, Alabama. The Governors then travel to Central Arkansas for a February 11th game against the Bears that begins at 3:30pm at the Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas.
