Austin Peay State University Women’s Basketball comes up short at UT Martin, 60-57

Martin, TN – Shay-Lee Kirby hit five three-pointers and scored a season-high 17 points, but it was not enough for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team to hold off a fourth-quarter charge from UT Martin and the Governors fell, 60-57, in Ohio Valley Conference action, Monday, in the Elam Center.

Austin Peay (17-7, 10-4 OVC) and UT Martin (10-15, 7-7 OVC) came out trading punches to start the game. A Paige Pipkin three-pointer on the Skyhawks’ first possession gave UT Martin a 3-0 lead just 49 seconds in the game, but Kirby responded with her first three and the score was tied at three just 23 seconds later.
 
After a Holly Forbes triple gave UT Martin a 6-3 lead, Kirby connected from three-point range again and the score was tied at six at the 8:06 mark in the opening period. On the Skyhawks’ next trip down the floor, Ella Thompson hit a three-pointer, but the Govs had the answer again and this time it was Karle Pace connecting from downtown to tie the game at nine just 2:35 into the contest.
 
After UT Martin hit a free throw to take a 10-9 lead, Kirby buried three-pointers on back-to-back possessions and the Governors led, 15-12, with 5:08 left on the clock in the first quarter.

With 2:54 left in the first period, D’Shara Booker gave the Govs a five-point lead, 19-14, but UT Martin closed the quarter on a 5-0 run and tied the score, 19-19.

The Skyhawks opened the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers and built a 25-19 lead at the 7:31 mark. Lyric Cole was able to trim Austin Peay’s deficit to five points with 2:46 left before the half, but a Seygan Robins three-pointer gave UT Martin its biggest lead of the contest, 34-26, with 1:13 left on the clock. ‘

Trailing by eight points, Kirby connected on a pair of free throws and Cole connected on a layup as the Governors closed the half on a 4-0 run and trailed, 34-30, at the break.

After trading baskets to open the second half, Kirby cut the UT Martin lead to one, 36-35, when she drilled her fifth three-pointer of the game with 7:45 left in the third period. With 5:14 left in the quarter, Pace drilled another triple to give the Governors a two-point advantage, 40-38. After Nina De Leon Negron made a pair of free throws, Pace stole the ball from Shae Littleford and hit a fast-break layup to give Austin Peay State University its biggest lead of the game, 44-38.

UT Martin was able to cut the Govs lead to one point, 45-44, with 56 seconds left in the third period, but another Pace three-pointer with 27 seconds on the clock pushed the lead back to four points, 48-44, after 30 minutes of action.

In the fourth, Austin Peay State University went cold from the floor and went just 2-for-8 from the field in the final ten minutes. On the other hand, UT Martin went 6-for-12 from the field in the final period.

However, the Governors were able to knock down five free throws in the fourth quarter and were down by three on the final possession with a chance to tie the game, but a Pace three-pointer was too strong and the Austin Peay State University’s four-game OVC winning streak came to an end.  

The Difference 

The fourth quarter. UT Martin outscored Austin Peay State University, 16-9, in the final period and won by just three points. 

APSU Notably 

Austin Peay State University dropped its ninth-straight game to UT Martin and now trailed 43-45 in the all-time series.

The Govs dropped their 13th-straight game in Martin, Tennessee, and are now 20-23 all-time in the Elam Center.

Austin Peay falls to 4-8 all-time on Valentine’s Day.

Shay-Lee Kirby hit a season-high five three-pointers and scored a season-high 17 points to lead the Governors in scoring for the third time this season.

Kirby’s 17 points and five three-pointers are her best single-game marks since she scored 24 points and hit five three-pointers at North Alabama (11/25/20).

Karle Pace hit three three-pointers and scored 16 points; she has scored in double-figures in five-straight games.

Lyric Cole grabbed a team-high six rebounds to lead the Govs on the glass for the 12th time this season.

Ella Sawyer dished out four assists and has now led the Govs in assists a team-high 11 times this season.

Sawyer also grabbed five rebounds, she has at least three boards in 17-straight games and 22 of 24 contests this season.

Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball

The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team’s stretch of five games in 10 days continues when it travels to rival Murray State for a Wednesday showdown at the CFSB Center in Calloway County, Kentucky. The tip-off is at 6:00pm.

Then it’s the home finale and Senior Day for the Governors when they host a Saturday contest against Tennessee Tech in the Winfield Dunn Center that begins at 1:30pm.

For news and updates on everything Governors women’s basketball, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsWBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.

Box Score

Austin Peay 57, UT Martin 60