Austin Peay (5-8 | 0-0 ASUN) at North Florida (7-6 | 0-0 ASUN)
Thursday, January 2nd, 2025 | 1:00pm CT
Jacksonville, FL | UNF Arena
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team opens Atlantic Sun Conference play with a rematch of the 2024 ASUN Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinals in a Thursday 1:00pmgame against North Florida at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
The last time Austin Peay (5-8) and North Florida (7-6) met on the hardwood, the Governors earned a 101-98 overtime victory over the Ospreys (3/5/24) in their first postseason contest as a member of the league. APSU alum DeMarcus Sharp broke the program record with 35 points off the bench in APSU’s highest-scoring postseason game since the 1997 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Quarterfinals.
This season, Govs ended nonconference play with a 93-46 victory against Brescia, Sunday, in which the team tied the program record with 17 three-pointers against the Bearcats. LJ Thomas also highlighted the 47-point victory by recording Austin Peay’s third-ever triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists; it was the program’s first triple-double since Chris Horton’s in November 2014.
Thomas leads the Governors in points (194), rebounds (54), assists (40), steals (15), and minutes (378) through his 11 appearances and starts this season. The Plant City, Florida native’s 17.6 points per game and 34:26 minutes per game both are second in the ASUN and 82nd and 64th in the NCAA, respectively. Thomas has led the Govs in scoring seven times this season, rebounds three times, and assists six times.
Tate McCubbin had his career’s best performance against Brescia with a career-best 20 points and eight rebounds. The freshman guard/forward went 8-for-12 from the field and 4-for-7 from three-point range, logging his third-straight game scoring in double figures.
Thomas and McCubbin lead APSU’s nine newcomers with 194 and 79 points, respectively. The Govs’ nine newcomers are accounting for 516 of 846 (61.0%) points this season.
North Florida enters league play 7-6. The Ospreys opened their 2024-25 campaign winners of three-straight, with a pair of those wins coming against Power Four opponents on the road in South Carolina (November 4th) and Georgia Tech (November 10th). Entering Thursday’s game, UNF is the only team with multiple Power Four wins this season; however, the Governors are the only team in the ASUN with a Quad 1 win, with that win being APSU’s November 8th victory against Butler.
From The Jump
Austin Peay State University begins its third ASUN Conference season with its ninth all-time meeting against North Florida.
The Governors are 5-3 all-time against the Ospreys and have won three-straight after going 2-0 against the Ospreys last season.
All three of UNF’s wins in the series that dates back to 2014 have come in Jacksonville, as it is 3-0 against the APSU Govs in the Sunshine State.
Austin Peay State University enters league play 5-8 and coming off a 93-46 victory against Brescia, Sunday.
The Governors tied the program record with 17 three-pointers against the Bearcats.
LJ Thomas recorded Austin Peay State University’s third triple-double in program history in the win against Brescia with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. It was the first triple-double by a Governor since Chris Horton in Nov. 2014, and the first in points, rebounds and assists since Trenton Hassell in February 2001.
Tate McCubbin led APSU in scoring for the first time this season with a career-best 20 points against Brescia.
Austin Peay State University is 4-0 this season when it shoots at least 45% from the field. It also is 4-0 when it shoots at least 35% from three-point range.
APSU ended the 2023-24 ASUN regular-season winning seven of its final eight games against league opponents.
Austin Peay State University head coach Corey Gipson is ninth all-time in career wins with 24, tying him with APSU’s second-ever head coach, Scott Alden (1930-33).
APSU has utilized a different starting lineup 11 times this year, including in 10-straight games.
Quan Lax leads the team with 12 starts this season.
About the North Florida Ospreys
North Florida enters ASUN play 7-6 on the season and looking to end a two-game losing streak.
North Florida is the NCAA leader in made and attempted three-pointers with 13.2 and 37.1 per game, respectively.
UNF opened their season with a 74-71 victory at South Carolina and later defeated Georgia Tech 101-93 six days later.
Five Ospreys have made at least 23 three-pointers through 13 games.
Liam Murphy leads the ASUN and ranks 12th in Division I with 43 three-pointers this season. His 3.3 triples per game also lead the league and rank 27th in the NCAA.
Kaylen Smith is 13th in the NCAA with 78 assists this season.
Smith’s +2.23 assist/turnover ratio leads the ASUN and ranks 118th in the NCAA.
Follow the APSU Govs
For news and updates on all things Governors’ basketball, follow the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB) and Facebook (Austin Peay Men’s Basketball) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team doesn’t have to go far for their second game of ASUN play, as they’ll remain in Jacksonville to face Jacksonville in a Saturday 2:00pm CT contest at Swisher Gymnasium.
