Austin Peay Lady Govs Basketball faces the Morehead State Eagles in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament’s opening game

February 28, 2012 |

Austin Peay Women’s Basketball vs. Morehead State
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012 | Tipoff: 12:00pm (noon) (CT)
Nashville, TN. | Arena: Municipal Auditorium (8,000)

Clarksville, TN – The eighth-seeded Austin Peay women’s basketball team will face fifth-seed Morehead State in the noon, Wednesday, opening game of the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Championship at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. The Lady Govs defeated Southeast Missouri, 88-84, Saturday to earn the final spot in the tournament.

Morehead State wrapped up its regular-season slate with a 72-70 overtime loss to SIU Edwardsville, Saturday. The two teams split the regular-season series with the home team winning each contest. Morehead State won the first meeting, 74-67 on December 31st, before Austin Peay returned the favor with an 88-81 overtime win in Clarksville, February 18th.

Austin Peay Women's Basketball plays Morehead State in the opening game of the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Championship Wednesday, February 29th at 12:00pm.

Austin Peay made 50.9 percent (29-57) of its shots, the third time this month it has made more than half its shot attempts. The Lady Govs also made 44.4 percent (8-18) of their three-pointers, the fifth time in their last six games they have made more than 33 percent of their outside shots. Austin Peay recorded double-digit assists (19) for the 10th consecutive game – they are averaging 12.0 assists per game during that span.

Five Austin Peay players scored 10 or more points in the win for the second time this season. Shelby Olszewski scored a career-high 17 points in the win while handing out four assists.  Whitney Hanley scored 19 points and became the fourth Lady Govs player to score 1,500 career points, finishing the contest with 1,502 points. Austin Peay finished the regular-season winning back-to-back home games for the first time in 2011-12.

Hanley Earns First-Team All-OVC Honors

Austin Peay senior guard Whitney Hanley was named first-team All-OVC the league office announced Tuesday. Hanley, of Mt. Washington, KY, averaged 18.9 points per game during the regular-season, ranking 28th nationally and third among OVC scorers. She raised her play in conference action, averaging 20.9 points per game in OVC play.

In addition, Hanley’s 88.9 free-throw percentage led the conference and ranked 10th nationally as she missed only 12 free throws in 29 games. She is the ninth individual Austin Peay player to receive first-team All-OVC honors and it is the 16th time a Lady Govs player has been named to the league’s first team.

About Morehead State

Morehead State closed the regular season alternating wins and losses over its final six games, with two of its three losses coming in overtime. The Eagles stunned second-place Eastern Illinois 59-57 in Morehead, Thursday, before falling to third-place SIU Edwardsville, 72-70, in overtime, Saturday.

Senior guard Courtney Lumpkin averaged 20.3 points per game during the OVC regular-season to lead Morehead State and earn first-team All-OVC honors. However, she is not alone as a threat on the Eagles roster. Senior guard Linda Dixon (16.5 ppg) and junior forward Ashar Harris (9.6 ppg, 12.7 rpg) also are proven threats.

In the two meetings with Austin Peay, Lumpkin averaged 23 points per game, Harris averaged a double-double of 14 points and 16.5 rebounds while Dixon chipped in 12 points per game.

OVC Tournament Schedule

The OVC announced, Monday, that both semifinal contests and the championship will be aired on ESPN3, ESPN Full Court and select stations in OVC markets.

Lady Govs In The OVC Championship

Austin Peay is 4-8 against teams in the tournament field. In its half of the bracket, the Lady Govs split its series with No. 5 Morehead State, swept No. 4 Murray State and were swept by No. 1 UT Martin.

The Lady Govs are 7-3 all-time in OVC Tournament games played at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium and won the 1996 and 2004 titles there.

Austin Peay is 26-12 all-time in OVC Championship Tournament play.

The Lady Govs have won seven tournament titles, including six of the last 11 tournament championships.

Fast Break Points

Saturday’s 88-point outing against Southeast Missouri was Austin Peay’s fourth 80-point performance in six February contests. The Lady Govs reached the 80-point plateau once in its previous 23 contests. Austin Peay has averaged 78.5 points per game during the month – well above its 65.8 point per game average this season

Hanley became the fourth Austin Peay women’s basketball player to reach the 1,500-point plateau with 19 points in the regular-season finale against Southeast Missouri, February 25th. Earlier this season, she was the 14th Lady Govs player to reach the 1,000-career point plateau. Hanley enters the tournament with 1,502 career points.

Senior forward Jasmine Rayner became the 15th Lady Govs player to reach the 1,000-point plateau with an eight-point outing against Eastern Kentucky, January 16th. She currently sits 14th on the scoring list, entering the tournament with 1,069 career points. Rayner needs 50 points to move past head coach Carrie Daniels who holds down the 13th spot with 1,118 career points.

The Lady Govs are 19-26 (.409) in February under Daniels.

An Austin Peay Win Would

Improve Daniels’ record to 72-116 overall, including a 10-2 record in the OVC tournament. Make the Lady Govs 424-587 overall since 1976-77.

An Austin Peay Loss Would

Make it 7-4 in OVC Tournament games play at Municipal Auditorium… make APSU 26-13 all-time in the tournament. Drop Daniels’ record to 71-117 overall, including a 9-3 record in the OVC tournament.

Make the Lady Govs 423-588 overall since 1976-77.

Lady Govs First Meeting With Morehead State

December 31st, 2011

Morehead, KY – A turnover-prone first half effort doomed Austin Peay in a 74-67 loss to Morehead State, December 31st, in OVC action at Johnson Arena. Austin Peay trailed by three points, 17-14, with 9:53 remaining before the worst of its offensive woes hit. The Lady Govs would go the next 5:32 without scoring, missing four shots and turning the ball over six times on its nine possessions during that span.

Morehead State took advantage of Austin Peay’s offensive problems, piecing together a 15-0 run to take a 32-14 lead with 4:21 remaining. The Lady Eagles continued to press their momentum the half’s remainder, securing a 20-point, 43-23 halftime advantage.

Austin Peay attempted to turn the tables in the second half, turning to a full-court press late in the half. The increased defensive effort paid off as Morehead State committed 15 second-half turnovers and APSU scored 17 points off those giveaways.

The Lady Govs made their big push with 5:15 remaining in the contest, scoring nine consecutive points. Senior Jasmine Rayner started the run with a layup and Austin Peay stole the ensuing in-bounds pass which led to a conventional three-point play by sophomore Nicole Olszewski. Morehead State couldn’t get out of its own end on its next possession, freshman Shelby Olszewski picking off a pass and passing ahead to junior Meghan Bussabarger who scored the breakaway layup.

Austin Peay would have to wait a little longer to finish the run, Bussabarger scoring on a baseline jumper off a pass from Shelby Olszewski, getting Austin Peay to within eight points, 67-59, with 3:57 left. However, Bussabarger was hurt on the ensuing Morehead State possession and a timeout snafu followed that seemingly sapped the Lady Govs momentum. Austin Peay would get no closer than eight points the game’s remainder.

Senior Whitney Hanley led all scorers with 21 points – her seventh 20-point effort – but was 7-of-22 shooting. Bussabarger recorded her season’s second double-double with a 15-point, 11-rebound effort that included four steals.

Rayner scored her season’s first double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Lady Govs Second Meeting With Morehead State

February 18th, 2012

Clarksville, TN – Freshman guard Shira Buley scored eight points in overtime and junior forward Leslie Martinez posted her third career double-double to lead Austin Peay past Morehead State, 88-81 in overtime, in Ohio Valley Conference action at the Dunn Center.

Buley was instrumental in the Lady Govs victory, scoring five consecutive points in overtime to break the game open. It was the final three points of a wild stretch that shifted the game’s momentum completely.

Bussabarger hustled down the court and corralled the errant pass but her layup attempt rolled off the back of the rim and away from her. Yet there the ball found a darting Buley who gathered it up and put it back for the basket and a foul. She converted the resulting free throw and gave APSU its largest lead of the contest – an 85-78 advantage it would not relinquish.

Morehead State controlled the first half action. An Ashar Harris layup with 10:23 remaining capped a 6-0 Eagles run and gave the visitors a 26-16 lead – their largest of the contest.

Austin Peay would keep the lead from growing larger and later countered with its own 9-0 run to take a 39-37 lead with 1:32 remaining after senior guard Whitney Hanley’s jumper. Morehead State tied the game on its next possession thanks to a pair of Courtney Lumpkin free throws.

Neither team scored in the final minute, settling on a 39-39 halftime score. Austin Peay led for all but the final 1:30 of the second half, but was unable to build more than a six point lead. The Lady Govs led by three points after Hanley made a pair of free throws with 26 seconds remaining. However, Morehead State found Courtney Lumpkin for a three-pointer with 13 seconds left to tie the game.

Buley finished with a career-high 10 points, making 3-of-5 from the floor. Martinez posted career-highs in both points (20) and rebounds (14) for her double-double. Hanley added 22 points – her 14th 20-point outing this season – and sophomore center Kaitlyn Hill chipped in 13 points.

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