Austin Peay (3-4) vs. Morehead State (4-2)
Wednesday, November 29th, 2023 | 7:00pm
Clarksville, TN | F&M Bank Arena
Clarksville, TN – With the longest road trip in program history now behind it, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team returns to Clarksville, where it hosts longtime rival Morehead State in a Wednesday 7:00pm game on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Austin Peay (3-4) is coming off a 10-day, 4,582-mile trip that saw the program take on UTEP, Tarleton State, and Sacramento State as part of the 2023 SoCal Challenge before then heading across the country for a game against Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina.
As he has throughout the season’s early stages, DeMarcus Sharp was the highlight of the APSU Govs four-game road trip. The Charleston, Missouri native was named to the SoCal Challenge Sand Division All-Tournament Team after leading the division in points, rebounds, and assists. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists during the four-game road trip and scored a season-high 33 points during a 74-71 win against Sacramento State in the final game of APSU’s mid-season tournament.
Sharp leads the ASUN and ranks in top 10 across Division I in steals (21, fifth), field goals attempted (118, seventh), field goals made (54, eighth, steals per game (3.0, eighth), minutes per game (37.1, ninth).
The Governors are 2-0 at home this season with wins against Life and Fisk. After four straight games away from home, the team will be in the Volunteer State for their next four games.
APSU begins its Tennessee stand against one of its oldest rivals in Morehead State. The 115 meetings against the Eagles are the third-most in program history, trailing only the 140 against Murray State and 120 against Eastern Kentucky – of which the APSU Govs will face in nonconference and ASUN play, respectively.
Morehead State (4-3) comes into the midweek contest after winning back-to-back games against Bellarmine and Midway.
The Eagles are led in scoring by Riley Minix, whose 16.0 points per game rank fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Broadcast Information
TV: ESPN+ — Barry Gresham (PxP), Ethan Schmidt (Color)
All Austin Peay State University basketball home games, all ASUN contests, and select road games are broadcast on ESPN+. Broadcasts all begin at the top of the hour and feature a two-minute preview leading up to the game.
About Austin Peay Men’s Basketball
Austin Peay State University prepares for its 116th all-time meeting against Morehead State.
Morehead State leads the all-time series, 59-56.
Austin Peay State University is 38-18 against the Eagles in Clarksville and have two of the last three games at home.
DeMarcus Sharp leads APSU in scoring (19.0 points per game), rebounds (8.0), assists (37), steals (21), field goals made and attempted (54-118), and free throws made (31).
Riley Minix leads Morehead State in scoring (16.0), field goals made and attempted (41-90), steals (seven), free throws made and attempted (21-22), and free throw percentage (.955).
Austin Peay State University is coming off a 78-58 Sunday loss at Appalachian State.
DeMarcus Sharp leads the Atlantic Sun Conference in double-doubles (three), field goals attempted (118), free throws made (25), minutes per game (37:12), defensive rebounds per game (7.1) and steals (21).
Morehead State leads the Ohio Valley Conference in assists per game (14.6), effective field-goal percentage (.526), rebound margin (+9.9), three-point attempts per game (25.0), and three-pointers per game (8.4).
About the Morehead State Eagles
Their Head Coach: Preston Spradlin is in his eighth year at the helm of the Morehead State men’s basketball team where he has accumulated a record of 120-110 with four-straight winning seasons.
2023-24 Record: 4-3 (0-0 OVC)
2022-23 Record: 22-12 (14-4 OVC)
2022-23 Season Result: The Eagles finished fourth in OVC’s regular season and fell to No. 5 Southeast Missouri in the semifinals of the OVC Tournament. After receiving a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, the Eagles defeated Clemson in the tournament’s first round before dropping a 77-59 decision to Alabama-Birmingham in the second round.
Their Season So Far: The Eagles began their 2023-24 campaign 1-2 with losses at Alabama and Purdue and a win against Shawnee State. They then returned to .500 after defeating Mercer on November 14th, before falling in their most recent loss at Penn State. After their 74-51 loss to the Nittany Lions, the Eagles have rallied four two-straight wins against Bluegrass State foes in Bellarmine and Midway. Wednesday’s contest is the first game since that win against Midway last Wednesday.
Notable Returner: Drew Thelwell returned for his senior season after averaging 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game in 34 starts last season. He currently is second on the team in scoring with 11.6 points per game and scored a season-high 26 points in a win at Mercer on November 14th.
Notable Newcomer: A Southeastern (FL) graduate transfer, Riley Manix has scored double figures in all but one game this season, including at least 18 points in the first four games. The 6-7 guard leads MSU in scoring with 16.0 points per game.
Series History: 116th all-time meeting | 59-56 Morehead all-time | 38-18 APSU in Clarksville
Last Meeting: Morehead State defeated Austin Peay State University 77-52 on February 5th, in Morehead, Kentucky.
Follow The APSU Govs
For news and updates throughout the 2023-24 season, follow the men’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB), on Facebook (Austin Peay Men’s Basketball), or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
