Austin Peay (13-13 | 6-5 ASUN ) at Central Arkansas (9-18 | 5-6 ASUN)
Thursday, February 15th, 2024 | 7:30pm
Conway, AR | Farris Center
Clarksville, TN – After claiming its third-straight victory – tied for the longest in the Atlantic Sun Conference – the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team tips off its final road trip of the regular season against Central Arkansas in a Thursday contest at the Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas. The game starts at 7:30pm.
Austin Peay (13-13, 6-5 ASUN) currently sits fourth in the ASUN Men’s Basketball standings after coming back from down 14 in the final 10 minutes against Queens Saturday at F&M Bank Arena.
Dezi Jones had a season-high 27 points in the victory and was followed in scoring by Isaac Haney’s 21-point performance, with 15 of those points coming in the final 10 minutes.
The Governors won the season’s previous meeting against Central Arkansas (9-18, 5-6 ASUN), in a 94-71 win against the Bears in Clarksville. Sai Witt tallied 27 points in the win, while DeMarcus Sharp and Ja’Monta Black also put up 20 points.
The Governors lead the ASUN in four statistical categories entering the midweek affair against the Bears, including turnovers allowed per game (9.0), which ranks seventh in Division I.
Despite leading the all-time series against UCA, 2-0, the APSU Govs look to claim their first win in Conway in program history after dropping a 76-69 road decision last season.
About Austin Peay Men’s Basketball
Austin Peay State University enters Thursday’s game in Conway fourth in the ASUN Men’s Basketball standings at 6-5 in league play, while the Bears are tied for seventh at 5-6.
APSU won the season’s previous meeting between the Governors and Bears, 94-71, on January 20th in Clarksville.
Sai Witt, Ja’Monat Black, and DeMarcus Sharp combined for 67 points in the blowout win against the Bears, with Witt leading the way with 27 points. The 23-point win marked the Govs’ largest margin of victory in a conference game since defeating SIU Edwardsville on January 30th, 2020, during Ohio Valley Conference play.
Five players – DeMarcus Sharp (17.0 points per game), Dezi Jones (15.1), Sai Witt (14.7), Ja’Monta Black (13.4), and Isaac Haney (10.0) – all are averaging double figures in the scoring column through ASUN Conference play.
Dezi Jones is coming off a season-high 27-point performance in the Governors 14-point come-from-behind win against Queens, Saturday, while Isaac Haney scored 15 points in the final 10 minutes to help lead the Govs to victory.
Ja’Monta Black has made 88 three-pointers this season, best for fifth all-time, which also are fifth in Division I this season.
The Bears are second in the ASUN Conference and 65th nationally with 24.7 bench points per game.
Ubong Abasi Etim is second in the league and 71st nationally 201 rebounds.
A Deeper Meaning
What a win means… Austin Peay State University’s first four-game winning streak of the season and first under head coach Corey Gipson… Governors end five-game road losing streak and improve to 3-11 in true road contests this season… Gipson improves to 3-0 all-time against Central Arkansas and 2-0 against the program while leading his alma mater… First win in Conway in program history… Austin Peay State University improves to 16-12 all-time on Feb. 15.
What a loss means… Governors drop sixth-straight road game… APSU falls to 2-2 all-time against the Bears and 0-2 against them in Conway…
Last Time Against Them
Austin Peay State University defeated Central Arkansas 94-71, January 20th, in Clarksville, improving to 10-10 on the season and 3-2 in ASUN Conference play. Sai Witt scored a team-high 27 points, followed by DeMarcus Sharp and Ja’Monta Black’s 20 points each.
The APSU Govs shot 54.5 and 47.6 percent from the field and three-point range, respectively, while limiting the Bears to 44.4 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from long range.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
Following Thursday’s game, the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team faces North Alabama in a Saturday 7:15pm contest at CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall in Florence, Alabama.
