Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team held Eastern Kentucky to its lowest field goal percentage of the season, .250, on its way to a 62-52 wire-to-wire victory Saturday on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Austin Peay (9-7, 2-0 ASUN) scored the game’s first six points less than two minutes into the first quarter. Eastern Kentucky’s Antwainette Walker grabbed the first four points for the Colonels by way of free throws and a jumper from outside the paint, cutting the Colonels’ deficit to two at 6-4 with four minutes remaining in the first.
A layup by Shamarre Hale extended the APSU Govs lead to six as a layup by Abby Cater with seven seconds remaining ended the first quarter with the Govs leading by eight at 16-8. The Governors held the Colonels to a .188 field-goal percentage as they only scored eight points.
The APSU Govs opened the second quarter with a three-minute scoring drought that only ended when Hale made a pair of free throws at the 6:51 mark. Eastern Kentucky attempted to come back from their early disadvantage, as they opened up the second quarter on a 7-2 run, trimming their deficit to just three at 18-15 with 6:09 left in the half. The Govs made six of their next 10 shots and Hale made a pair of free throws to close the half with APSU leading 28-18.
The third quarter was the Governors highest scoring of the night with 21 points and a .667 field goal percentage. A layup from the paint by CT Haywood followed by two made free frows by Anala Nelson gave the Govs their largest lead of the night of 19 points at 45-26 with 2:44 left. They two teams went back-and-forth for the remainder of the quarter, but free throws by Hale gave the Govs a 19-point lead headed into the final quarter.
EKU attempted to come back in the final 10 minutes of the game, scoring a game high 22 points in the quarter with a .300 field goal percentage. The Colonels were able to trim their deficit to as little as seven by a three-point jumper by Walker made the score 56-49 with 2:27 remaining in the game. The Govs ended on an 8-3 run, giving them the wire-to-wire victory at 62-52.
The Difference?
Eastern Kentucky’s .250 field-goal percentage. Austin Peay State University held the Colonels to their lowest field-goal percentage of the season compared to the Govs’ .438.
Inside the Box Score?
Austin Peay State University held EKU to a .250 field-goal percentage. This was a season-low for the Governors and the Colonels.
EKU’s .250 field-goal percentage was their lowest since they last faced the APSU Govs on March 5th when they shot .267 from the field.
The Colonel’s 52 points were the lowest APSU has held an ASUN opponent to since North Florida’s 35, on February 9th.
This marks the first time the Governors have started conference play 2-0 in the Brittany Young Era and the first time since the 2020-21 season.
Shamarre Hale led the way for the Governors with 15 points and 13 rebounds. This is the second consecutive game Hale has grabbed a double-double. This was her second of the season and seventh of her career.
La’Nya Foster joined Hale in double-digit rebounds with her 11. This is the first time two APSU Govs have had 10 or more rebounds in a game since Tahanee Bennell’s 11 and D’Shara Booker’s 10 rebound performances against Tennessee State on February 9th, 2021.
This was the ninth time that APSU has out-rebounded their opponent this season.
Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team hits the road for their first ASUN Conference road trip of the season as they face North Alabama for a January 11th, 5:30pm game and continue their road trip to Central Arkansas for a January 13th, 1:00pm game.
