DeLand, FL – A pair of free throws with under two seconds remaining proved to be the difference as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team lost an 83-82 decision to Stetson in Atlantic Sun Conference action Thursday at the Edmunds Center.
Ja’Monta Black notched his fifth overall and second straight 20-point performance of the season with a game-high 21 points and six three-pointers to lead four Governors in double-figures. Dezi Jones followed Black in scoring with 20 points, while Sharp scored 16 and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.
Thursday’s affair featured a season-high 11 lead changes, and 13 instances that the two teams were tied, with the final coming with 6:43 remaining in the second half.
Austin Peay (10-11, 3-3) led 8-3 through the game’s first five minutes and, after exchanging scores over the next three minutes, held its largest lead of the night at 15-9 following an old-fashioned three-point play by Jones.
Stetson (12-9, 4-2 ASUN) answered Jones’ converted and-one opportunity with 10-straight points, which was capped off by a second-chance three-pointer. After a step-back three by Jones at the top of the key, the Govs and Hatter battled back and forth until Stetson jumped up to a game-high nine-point lead at 33-24 with 3:51 left in the opening half.
A turnaround jumper by Sharp sparked a 10-1 APSU run to end the half, as the two teams were knotted at 34 through 20 minutes.
Jones led the APSU Govs with 10 points at the break, followed by Black’s nine points, all coming from the perimeter.
Now for a second half that featured nine lead changes.
Stetson’s Alec Oglesby knocked down a triple on the Hatters’ second possession of the second half, but a Sharp driving layup, Stetson missed bucket, and Black triple returned the lead to the Govs momentarily.
Two of the nation’s top 10 three-point scorers – Stetson’s Jalen Hampton and Black – exchanged treys as the two teams battled back and forth over the first 7:17 of the half.
Oglesby made another three-pointer to extend the Hatters’ lead to 51-46 for the first back-to-back baskets by a team of the half. It was again answered by the exchanging of points until another old-fashioned three by Jones brought the game to even at 55 with 10:59 remaining.
A 9-4 APSU run was capped off by a perfect, 2-for-2 trip to the line by Jones but answered by seven-straight Hatters points. Stetson extended its lead to four with just over two minutes remaining, but Sai Witt scored the game’s next four points – two from a layup and two from the charity stripe – to bring the teams to a 79-79 stalemate with 36 seconds remaining and force a SU timeout.
Sharp sunk his first three-pointer of the game at the buzzer, but with no foul called on the shot, was unable to force overtime, resulting the one-point decision.
The Difference
The Hatters missed just one shot from the field in the final 10:12 of the contest, going 7-for-8 in that span.
Inside the Box Score
Austin Peay State University fell to 10-11 on the season, 3-3 in ASUN play and 2-9 on the road.
The Governors also fell to 1-2 all-time against the Hatters, and 0-2 against them in ASUN play.
Ja’Monta Black notched his second-straight 20-point performance and fifth overall.
Black made a game-high six three-pointers against the Hatters, bringing his season total to 68 which is top 20 all-time in program history and seven away from entering the 10 top.
DeMarcus Sharp notched his fifth double-double of the season and sixth overall by a Gov in 2023-24. It is the first double-double by a Gov since his own in an 18-point, 10-rebound performance against Midway on December 5th.
With Black’s three-pointer 4:35 into Thursday’s game, he extended APSU’s streak of consecutive games with a triple to 687.
Sharp’s 11 rebounds are tied for the second-most by a Gov this season.
With his six assists, Sharp brought his season total to 99.
The APSU Govs dropped to 2-1 on Thursday’s this season.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team continues their Sunshine State road trip with a Saturday 6:00pm contest against Florida Gulf Coast at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
