Lady Govs stun league-leading Morehead State

APSU Women’s Basketball 
  
Clarksville, TN – Junior Whitney Hanley made a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining and blocked a three-point try just before the final horn to lead Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team to a 60-57 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Morehead State, Tuesday night, at the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay (4-9, 3-1 OVC) used a strong defensive effort to record its second consecutive victory, holding Morehead State (8-4, 3-1 OVC) to 34.5 percent shooting – a season-low by an APSU opponent. The Lady Govs held senior Chynna Bozeman – the OVC’s Preseason Player of the Year – to a season-low eight points on 2-of-14 field-goal shooting.

However, the game was a see-saw affair throughout the second half as the two teams exchanged the lead 11 times and battled through five ties. Sophomore Ashar Harris made a jumper with 4:10 remaining to give Morehead State a one-point, 52-51, lead.

Austin Peay scored on its next two possessions – layups by junior Jasmine Rayner and freshman Nicole Olszewski – to take a three-point, 55-52, advantage with 2:58 left only to watch Bozeman make a three-pointer to tie the game with 2:41 left.

The Lady Govs regained the lead as Rayner made the first free throw of a one-and-one opportunity with 1:08 left. Her second shot caromed off the rim and fell to sophomore Meghan Bussabarger, extending the possession. Austin Peay cashed in the extra opportunity as Bussabarger made a layup with 48 seconds left to extend the lead to three points, 58-55.

Following a pair of Morehead State free throws, Hanley was fouled in the backcourt and converted both of her free throw chances. After a timeout, Morehead State worked Bozeman free for a three-pointer that was contested by Hanley and fell short. The ensuing rebound went out of bounds and was awarded to the Eagles with 5.1 seconds left. Bozeman had one more try, working off a screen, but Hanley’s outstretched hand stopped the shot which fell harmlessly to the floor as the final horn sounded.

Morehead State nearly ran away from Austin Peay in the first half, using a 9-2 run to build a 12-point, 27-15, lead with 4:49 remaining in the period. But Austin Peay scored eight consecutive points over a two-minute span to cut the lead to two points, 29-27, with 1:09 left.

The Eagles would score the final three points but carried only a 32-27 lead into halftime.

Rayner led Austin Peay with a 13-point, 12-rebound effort that was her season’s second double-double. Hanley and Bussabarger both finished with 12-point, seven-rebound outings.

After losing the first-half rebounding battle by a 25-18 margin, Austin Peay responded with a 23-14 edge in the second half. That included 10 offensive rebounds in the second period which Austin Peay turned into 16 second-chance points.

Morehead State’s Harris led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Junior Courtney Lumpkin added 17 points and junior Linda Dixon finished with 12 points and a career-high seven steals.

Austin Peay will take a seven-day break for the holiday before returning to action with a 6:00pm (CT), Tuesday, December 28th contest at Big East member Pittsburgh.