Austin Peay (3-5) at Tennessee State (5-3)
Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 | 6:00pm
Nashville, TN | Gentry Center
Clarksville, TN – After a brief stop back in Clarksville, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team is back on the road to renew a 61-year-old rivalry against former conference foe Tennessee State in a Saturday 6:00pm game at the Gentry Center in Nashville.
Austin Peay (3-5) is coming off a 61-50 Wednesday loss to Morehead State in Clarksville. DeMarcus Sharp led the APSU Govs in scoring fifth-straight game and sixth time overall this season with his third-straight 20-point performance against Morehead State.
Sharp currently leads APSU in points (153), rebounds (60), assists (41), steals (23), field goals made and attempted (63-142), and free throws made and attempted (27-37). Sharp also leads the ASUN in double-doubles (three), minutes per game (37:33), defensive rebounds per game (6.75), and steals (23). The Columbia, Missouri native leads the nation in field goal attempts while ranking second nationally in made attempts, and his steals’ mark ranks fourth in Division I.
Saturday’s game is the 85th all-time meeting between Austin Peay State University and Tennessee State (5-3), with APSU leading the series, 52-32; however, the Tigers have won 23 of the 36 meetings in the Gentry Center.
Tennessee State enters the weekend after dropping an 85-83 decision to Alabama A&M, on Wednesday in Huntsville, Alabama.
A fast-paced offense, the Tigers are second in the Ohio Valley Conference and 35th nationally with 15.5 fastbreak points per game and also lead the ASUN in turnovers forced per game with 16.4.
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 and Tennessee square off for the 85th time in program history – the fourth-most against a single opponent in program history.
Austin Peay State University leads the all-time series, 52-32.
Austin Peay State University has won two-straight and four of the last five meetings against the Tigers.
Tennessee State won the last meeting between the two teams in Nashville, coming away with a 65-61 win during OVC play on January 22nd, 2022. The win snapped a two-game APSU winning streak in the series.
DeMarcus Sharp leads Division I with 142 field goal attempts and is second nationally with 63 made field goals.
Sharp also ranks 14th nationally with 153 total points and fourth with 23 steals.
The Governors are undefeated this season when recording a higher field-goal percentage, coming in at 3-0.
The APSU Govs also are undefeated this season when scoring more second chances and fast-break points.
About the Tennessee Tigers
Their Head Coach: Penny Collins is in his sixth year of the Tennessee State men’s basketball program, where he has accumulated a record of 68-90. The Tigers went 18-14 under Collins last season, his second winning season at the helm of the program.
2023-24 Record: 5-3 (0-0 OVC)
Their Season So Far: The Tigers opened their 2023-24 season with three-straight wins before dropping a 92-67 decision to Oregon in the first game of the Emarald Coast Classic in Eugene, Oregon. After defeating Midway on November 20th, TSU continued its MTE stay with a loss against Mercer before defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 91-77, on November 25th. The Tigers then fell in overtime to Alabama A&M, 85-83, in Huntsville.
2022-23 Record: 18-14 (10-8 OVC)
2022-23 Season Result: Tennessee State was the No. 4 seed in the 2023 OVC Men’s Basketball Tournament and fell to No. 5 Southeast Missouri, 91-83, in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Returning/Lost/Newcomers: 6/8/10
Notable Returner: After making five starts across 10 appearances for the Tigers last season, Christian Brown is second on the team with 14.3 points per game in six appearances and scored a season-high 24 points at Portland, November 15th.
Notable Newcomer: A Belmont transfer, E.J. Bellinger is one of three Tigers (Marcus Fitzgerald, Kinyon Hodges) to have started all eight games this season. He heads TSU with 14.5 points per game and has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games. He also leads TSU with a 57.3 field-goal percentage.
Series History: 52-32 APSU | 23-13 TSU in Nashville | Streak: APSU two-straight wins
Last Meeting: Austin Peay State University defeated Tennessee State 76-61, December 3rd, 2022 in Clarksville after a game-high 24 points by Sean Durugordon.
Follow The APSU Govs
For news and updates throughout the 2023-24 season, follow the APSU men’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB), on Facebook (Austin Peay Men’s Basketball), or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
