Austin Peay Lady Govs at Ball State
Sunday, December 11th, 2011 | Tipoff: Noon (CT)
Muncie, IN | Arena: Worthen Arena (11,500)
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay continues its two-game northern swing with an noon (CT), Sunday contest against Ball State in Muncie, IN. The Lady Govs enter the Hoosier State seeking an end to their seven-game losing streak.
The Cardinals return to action seeking a return to the .500 mark – falling behind the mark with two losses in their last three games. Austin Peay is 0-1 against the Mid-America Conference this season after losing at Bowling Green, Friday. Ball State is 1-1 against the Ohio Valley Conference with a loss to SIU Edwardsville and a victory against Murray State.
Austin Peay was held to season lows in free throws made (three), attempted (nine) and percentage (33.3). The Lady Govs were credited with a season-low four steals – it is only the second time this season they have not recorded double-digit steals in a game. Austin Peay lost the rebounding battle at Bowling Green, 42-36, the eighth consecutive game it has lost a rebounding matchup.
As Cold As Ice
Austin Peay continues to struggle with its shooting during the season’s opening third, entering Sunday’s contest shooting an ice-cold 36.1 percent this season. The Lady Govs are averaging just 20.2 made field goals per game and averaging a paltry 57.4 points per game. Currently, the ignominious “record” for lowest field goal percentage in a season is 37.1 percent held by the 1978-79 squad – the first team whose records are available.
About Ball State
Ball State enters Sunday’s contest with two losses in its last three outings following a 55-43 loss at Butler, Friday. The Cardinals won a 78-73 overtime decision against Stetson one week ago, improving to 3-2 at Worthen Arena this season.
Jazmine Hitchens leads Ball State in scoring (13.6 ppg) in seven outings. Ball State’s 1-1 record against OVC schools includes a 68-56 loss at SIU Edwardsville, November 16th, followed by an 81-72 win against Murray State, November 19th.
Fast Break Points
Austin Peay continues to search for the right starting five combination. Friday’s starting lineup at Bowling Green was the sixth different starting lineup head coach Carrie Daniels has used this season as freshman guard Shira Buley made her first collegiate start.
Nine players have recorded a start this season – sophomore Nicole Olszewski the only player to start all eight games this season.
Senior guard Whitney Hanley became the 14th Austin Peay women’s basketball player to reach the 1,000-point plateau with her 21-point performance at Lipscomb, November 14th. Her 1,085 career points ranks 13th all-time. She needs 16 points to reach the 12th spot, currently held by Lady Govs head coach Carrie Daniels (1,111 points, 1991-96)
Senior forward Jasmine Rayner has a little more work to do – needing 91 points to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Austin Peay returns its four leading scorers from last season’s team: Hanley (12.2 ppg), Rayner (10.5 ppg), junior forward Meghan Bussabarger (8.0 ppg) and sophomore guard Nicole Olszewski (8.0 ppg).
Hanley was named to the Preseason All-OVC team after receiving second-team All-OVC honors last season.
Austin Peay is 20-53 (.274) against non-conference teams under head coach Carrie Daniels.
The Lady Govs are 11-26 (.297) in December under Daniels.
An Austin Peay Win Would…
End its current seven-game overall losing streak… be its first victory since Nov. 14 at Lipscomb… end its five-game losing streak away from the Dunn Center, improving to 2-5 in road contests this season… improve Daniels’ record to 66-102 overall… make the Lady Govs 419-575 overall since 1976-77.
An Austin Peay Loss Would…
Be its eighth consecutive loss after opening the season with consecutive wins… be its sixth consecutive loss away from the Dunn Center and make it 1-6 on the road this season… drop Daniels’ record to 65-103 overall… make the Lady Govs 418-576 overall since 1976-77.
Last Time Out
Lady Govs at Bowling Green
December 9th, 2011
Bowling Green, OH – Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team could not recover from a season-high 26 turnovers and lost a 72-38 non-conference decision to Bowling Green, Friday night, at the Stroh Center.
Austin Peay (2-7) got off to a quick start, making five of its first nine shots to jump out to a 12-6 lead with 11:13 remaining. However, the Lady Govs could not sustain the early momentum, making only three of its final 12 shots and finished the half shooting 38 percent (8-of-21) from the field.
Meanwhile, Bowling Green (6-2) started the game ice cold from the field making one of its first 13 shots over the opening 6:21. But the Falcons got red hot to end the half, making 11 of 17 (64.7 percent) of its field goals the rest of the way and built a 34-18 halftime lead.
The Falcons dominated the second half defensively, forcing 15 Lady Govs turnovers. Austin Peay further hindered its cause with 28.6 percent shooting (8-of-28) in the period. Bowling Green increased its lead throughout the half, outscoring APSU 38-20 in the frame.
Freshman Shelby Olszewski led Austin Peay with eight points off the bench.
Senior Whitney Hanley added seven points.
Alexis Rogers led Bowling Green with 19 points, making 7-of-12 from the field.
Noelle Yoder added 10 points off the bench. Eleven different Falcons players scored in the contest.
Lady Govs Last Meeting With Ball State
December 21st, 2007
Las Vegas, NV – Austin Peay battled throughout its matchup with Ball State but could not overcome a slow start, falling 68-59, at the Lady Rebel Christmas Classic.
The first half’s story was Ball State’s (4-8) perimeter attack as four players combined to make eight three-point field goals in the opening frame. After Austin Peay recovered from another slow start to get within four points, 11-7, Ball State would record three consecutive three-point field goals and added a conventional three-point play to push the lead to 14 points, 23-9, with 13:17 remaining.
Austin Peay (4-7) again climbed the mountain and cut the lead to nine points, 37-28, on senior Kellea Reeves’ basket at the 2:30 mark. However, Ball State responded with consecutive three-pointers to end the half and led 43-28 at the break.
The Lady Govs committed 11 turnovers in the opening period which the Cardinals converted into 20 points. Ball State finished the half making 8-of-15 (53.3 percent) from three-point range, part of a 16-of-29 (55.2 percent) performance from the field.
Bacon continued her hot shooting in the second half making three of the Lady Govs first four field goals, all from three-point range. Salem Richardson followed that barrage with a three-point field goal, cutting the lead to nine points, 51-42, with 12:38 remaining. However, Ball State halted the Austin Peay scoring run with seven consecutive points and led 58-42 with 10:39 left.
The Lady Govs took another run at the Cardinals with a 10-1 run over the next three minutes, with Bacon and Ashley Herring each hitting three-pointers during the burst and slashing the lead to seven points, 59-52, with 7:25 left. That was as close as Austin Peay would get as Ball State converted four straight free throws and added a layup to push the lead back to 13 points three minutes later and would not be threatened the game’s remainder.
Bacon led Austin Peay with 22 points on 8-of-11 field shooting, including a 6-of-8 effort from three-point range. Herring added 12 points and a teambest six rebounds.
Carrie Daniels Show Airs Wednesdays
The Carrie Daniels Show airs at 6:00pm, each Wednesday, live from Edwards Steakhouse on Franklin Street in downtown Clarksville.
Hosted by Brian Rives for the fourth consecutive season, the show will air live on WVRY 105.1 FM and be simulcast over the internet at LetsGoPeay.com.
Next Game
APSU Begins Busy Pre-Christmas Slate At Belmont
Austin Peay will take the upcoming week off for finals before wrapping up its current four-game road trip with a 2:00pm, Sunday contest at Belmont. It will be just the second meeting between the two schools during the Carrie Daniels era, Austin Peay winning a 49-48 contest in Clarksville during the 2008-09 season.
It also will be a preview of an upcoming conference battle as Belmont joins the OVC next season. That Sunday contest will be the start of a busy pre-Christmas slate for APSU which will play three games in four days, including home contests against Florida A&M (December 20th) and Alabama A&M (December 21st).
