Clarksville, TN – History at F&M Bank Arena. Trailing by eight with four minutes to play, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team came back, forced overtime, and earned its first Atlantic Sun Conference postseason victory led by a game-high 35 points by DeMarcus Sharp in a 101-98 overtime win against North Florida in the ASUN Championship Quarterfinals, Tuesday, at F&M Bank Arena.
Not only did Sharp lead APSU offensively with the most points scored by a Gov this season, he also tallied a LeBron James-esque chase down block in the final two minutes of overtime which proved a key difference, as it sparked the momentum of a game-ending, 11-6 run for Austin Peay State University.
Austin Peay (18-14) scored a season-high 66 points in the paint and had 20 second-chance points off their 11 offensive rebounds in the first-ever postseason win at F&M Bank.
After scoring the first six points of the afternoon, the Ospreys maintained the lead until a Sai Witt second-chance layup gave APSU a 16-15 lead just before the under-12 timeout. UNF regained a multi-score lead of 29-22 with 4:31 remaining, but the Govs answered, trimming the Ospreys’ lead to 34-33 heading into the break.
North Florida made their first 10 shots from the field in the opening 6:37 of the second half to take a game-high 11-point lead.
After UNF regained the double-digit advantage with a 10-point lead with 7:49 remaining, DeMarcus Sharp drove right baseline and connected a no-look pass to Isaac Haney from the left wing for a three-pointer, sparking a two-minute 7-0 APSU run to bring the game back within one score.
The Ospreys answered with five-straight points, but a Ja’Monta Black three, followed by a Sharp old-fashioned three-point play, quickly returned the momentum back to the hometown Governors, as they trailed just 73-71 with 3:23 left in regulation.
From there, it became a game of free throws, as APSU went 6-for-6 over the next two-plus minutes to bring the game within a point with 46 seconds to play.
Dezi Jones made back-to-back layups, while North Florida went 3-for-4 from the line, with their final make from the stripe putting it up 87-85 with 10.1 to play, and forced the Govs to go the length of the floor.
No timeouts remaining, Haney inbounds to Sharp who crosses midcourt with 7.5 to play, he drives to the left block, turns, connects with a Haney who is a foot below the charity stripe, and lays it in.
Tied game. 2.2 to play.
A Lanier last-ditch three bounces off the top of the backboard. To overtime we go, where the Govs were 3-0 on the season entering the game, by the way, all coming at home.
A quick UNF three-pointer to begin overtime is answered by a Haney converted and-one. Back to even at 90.
North Florida answers with back-to-back free throws, which are answered by a Sharp’s patented step-back jumper.
After making the free point, Haney came away with a steal on the following play, passed it to Dez White who found Jones, who extended the Govs lead to 99-95 with 23 seconds remaining.
The Ospreys’ Oscar Berry hit a three-pointer from the left wing to bring the teams back within one, but Sharp made each of his attempts from the line, and Dezi Jones came away with the game-winning steal as the clock hit zeroes.
The Difference
Third Team All-ASUN selection, DeMarcus Sharp, and paint offense. Sharp’s 35 points are the most by a Governor since January 2021.
The Charleston, Missouri native came off the bench and scored 12 points in the opening half, before combining for 23 points in the second half and overtime.
Inside the Box Score
Austin Peay State University earned its first-ever postseason victory as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The Governors improved to 46-36 all-time in conference tournaments, 22-15 in quarterfinal rounds, and 10-8 as a No. 4 seed in the postseason.
The postseason win is Austin Peay State University’s first since defeating Eastern Illinois in the quarterfinals of the 2020 OVC Tournament.
With his 18th win of the season, Gipson is one victory from tying the program record for the most victories by a first-year head coach in program history. (Matt Figger, 2017-18).
The Governors’ 101 points are the second-most in a postseason game in program history, trailing only 106 points against Morehead State in the 1997 OVC Tournament Quarterfinals.
The 100-point game is also the 78th in program history and the first since scoring 102 against Kentucky Christian on December 6th, 2022.
Follow The APSU Govs
For news and updates throughout the Governors 2023-24 season, follow the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB), on Facebook (Austin Peay Men’s Basketball), or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The cards favored the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team tonight both on its home hardwood and across the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Basketball Championship.
With No. 1 Eastern Kentucky and No. 3 Lipscomb losing their quarterfinals matchups, Austin Peay State University will host No. 6 North Alabama for the ASUN Semifinals on Thursday, at F&M Bank Arena. The game begins at 7:00pm.
It is the first-ever semifinals home game in program history.
