APSU Sports: Austin Peay Women’s Basketball

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University ^[1] women’s basketball team used a 26-4 second-half opening run to break open a close contest and post an 84-62 victory over NAIA opponent St. Catharine, Sunday afternoon, at the Dunn Center.

^[2]

Senior Meghan Bussabarger led Austin Peay with 25 points in Sunday’s win against St. Catharine. (Courtesy: Brittney Sparn/APSU Sports Information)

Leading by two points at halftime, Austin Peay (3-6) only built a six-point advantage in the second half’s first four minutes. However, the Lady Govs broke the game open with an 18-2 run over the next five minutes converting nine of its 12 shots during that stretch.

APSU featured a balanced attack during the outburst with senior Meghan Bussabarger, senior Leslie Martinez, freshman Alexis Hardaway and sophomore Kristen Stainback each contributing at least four points during the burst.

^[3]More credit for the second half’s opening should be given to the Lady Govs defense, which limited St. Catherine to 1-of-13 shooting, including 12 consecutive missed shots, and forced eight turnovers in the opening nine minutes.

Following the burst, Austin Peay’s lead would fall below 20 points once – shrinking to 15 points with three minutes left – but it responded and closed the half with an 8-1 game-sealing run.

St. Catharine (6-5) certainly didn’t look like a team that had played two games in the previous two days – piecing together a 13-2 run in the opening 4:28. Austin Peay did not help its cause with one basket in its first seven tries and three turnovers during that opening stretch.

^[4]Bussabarger, who had the Lady Govs only basket in the opening four minutes, hit a three-pointer at the 15:13 mark to stop the Patriots run. Her basket started a 16-4 run that gave Austin Peay its first lead and a 21-17 advantage with 9:37 left.

However, Austin Peay could not build a larger advantage as the teams traded the lead nine times over the final 10 minutes before settling on a 38-36 APSU lead at the break.

^[5]Bussabarger finished with a game-best 25 points – four shy of her career high – and seven rebounds. She was 11-of-17 from the field, including a 2-of-2 effort from three-point range.

Martinez added a 13-point, 10-rebound performance that was her second double-double in the last three games. Stainback and senior Kaitlyn Hill added 10 points each.

Rianne Hofstraat led St. Catharine with 16 points – one of four Patriots players to score 10 points.

Austin Peay takes a seven-day break for finals before meeting Arkansas State in a 7:05pm, Monday, December 17th contest in Jonesboro, AR.

Box Score

St. Catharine vs Austin Peay
12/9/12 4:00pm at Clarksville, TN (Dunn Center)

St. Catharine 62

Austin Peay 84