Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) Women’s Basketball team ended its nonconference season with a 53-44 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
The Governors held the Redhawks to a 30.9 field-goal percentage, the lowest they have held an opponent to since Stetson’s 30.2 on January 7th.
Three pointers by Abby Cater, Cur’Tiera Haywood, and La’Nya Foster set the APSU Govs on a 9-0 run to begin the game. Miami’s Katey Richardson got the Redhawks on the board with a layup from the paint with just under five minutes remaining in the quarter, making the score 9-2. The Redhawks went on a 6-2 run, cutting their deficit down to three at 11-8 with 1:53 remaining, which remained the score as the quarter ended.
The Redhawks battled back in the beginning of the second frame as they opened up on a 6-1 run, giving them their first lead of the game at 15-13. A Shamarre Hale layup tied the game 15-15, and her two free throws gave the Governors back their lead at 17-15 with under three minutes remaining.
The quarter ended with back-and-forth action from the Govs and the Redhawks as a jumper by Miami’s Jadyn Scott tied the game at 17-17 but back-to-back layups by Alyssa Hargrove gave the APSU Govs the lead by four at 21-17 with 34 seconds remaining. The quarter ended with a layup by Scott followed by a made free throw, cutting the Redhawks deficit to just one at 21-20 headed into halftime.
The APSU Govs opened up the third quarter on a 7-3 run, including two made free throws by Haywood and back-to-back three-pointers by Foster and Anala Nelson, which gave them the lead by six at 29-23 with six and a half minutes remaining. A hook shot by Hale two minutes later followed by a layup by Hale two minutes after that increased the Governors’ lead to 10 at 33-23 with 2:56 left in the third quarter.
A layup by Miami’s Amber Tretter ended the Redhawk’s six minute scoring drought, cutting their deficit down to eight at 33-25 with 2:37 remaining. A hook shot and two made free throws by Nelson gave the APSU Govs a 12 point lead at 37-25 lead with less than a minute and a half remaining. A jumper by Miami’s Cori Lard ended the quarter, cutting the Redhawks deficit to 10 with Austin Peay leading 37-27.
Both teams entered a scoring drought of under three minutes, ending with two made free throws by Hale, increasing the APSU Govs lead to 13 at 50-37 with 1:53 left on the clock. The two teams went back and forth for the remainder of the game as the Redhawks made their final three shots taken, but it was not enough to overcome the Governors’ lead.
The Difference?
Second half efficiency. The APSU Governors held the Redhawks to a game low seven points and a 16.7 field-goal percentage in the third quarter. Austin Peay State University made 71 percent of their shots in the fourth quarter compared to the Redhawks 50 percent. Anala Nelson made 11 points during the second half, helping the Governors score 32 points in the final two quarters.
Inside the Box Score
Shamarre Hale had a team-high 18 points and a team-high eight rebounds. She also had three steals and one block. This was Hale’s fifth time as a scoring leader this season and 18th of her career.
Hale’s six rebounds made her the leading rebounder for the sixth time this season and the 18th time in her career at Austin Peay State University.
La’Nya Foster made her first start as a Gov and scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, and two steals.
Austin Peay State University had 34 rebounds compared to Miami’s 31. This is the eighth time this season that the Govs have outrebounded their opponent. The APSU Govs are now 5-4 when outrebounding their opponent this season.
Sandra Lin had a team-high four assists, marking her 11th time as an assist leader.
The Governors held the Redhawks to a 30.9 field-goal percentage, the lowest they have held an opponent to since Stetson’s 30.2 on January 7th.
Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team starts Atlantic Sun Conference play with a January 4th, 6:00pm, game against Bellarmine followed by a January 6th, 2:00pm game against Eastern Kentucky on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
