Austin Peay State University Governors Basketball loses OVC opener to Jacksonville State Gamecocks

APSU Sports Information

Jacksonville, AL – Jacksonville State built a 13-point first-half lead, utilizing 55 percent shooting combined with nine Austin Peay State University turnovers, and then held off a Governors’ second-half run, finally prevailing, 71-59, Thursday night in Ohio Valley Conference action at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The OVC-opening loss dropped the Govs to 5-10 overall while Jacksonville State claimed its first league victory, improving to 1-2 in the OVC and 8-9 overall. The win also snapped a five-game Gamecocks losing streak.

Entering the game, Jacksonville State came into the game reeling after five-straight losses that turned a 5-4 record to 7-9. In fact, head coach James Green benched leading scorer Darion Rackley against Eastern Illinois last weekend.

The Governors, on the other hand, seemingly carried some momentum into the contest after defeating North Florida at home last week with a spirited rally before playing some of their season’s best basketball in the first half against Ole Miss.

But it was Jacksonville State who appeared to be the more confident team from the outset, Thursday.

The Gamecocks, who came into the game shooting just 37 percent from the floor this season including only 30 percent in two OVC road losses last weekend, built a 10-point lead barely five minutes into the game with senior forward D.J. Felder literally dominating the Govs, scoring 12-straight JSU points at one stretch as the Govs fell behind 18-7. Rackley, who had 16 at halftime, finished with a career-high 18 points.

“We got manhandled on the (JSU) offensive end in the first half,” APSU coach Dave Loos said. “Combined our lack of defense with the turnovers that is just unacceptable.”

The Governors’ season-long offensive woes were never more apparent than in the first-half as they shot just 36.7 percent (11 of 30) from the floor as the only consistent offensive force was Chris Horton, who had 12 points, many off his five offensive rebounds.

The poor first-half shooting and the turnovers—leading to 13 JSU points—saw the Govs score just 28 points in the first 20 minutes. Not even 11 offensive rebounds could rescue the Governors in that half.

The second half saw the Governors trail by as much as 20, 52-32, with 13:56 left. But the Govs defense starting forcing turnovers and gaining stops—Jacksonville State shot just 28 percent (8 of 29) in the half—while the offense came to life.

A 14-0 run, highlighted by five Khalil Davis points and four more by Horton, gave APSU a chance for a miraculous comeback with 7:04 left.

Malcolm Drumright finally ended APSU’s run with a lane jump shot before Josh Robinson‘s three pointer—he started the 14-0 run with a three—cut the deficit to five, 54-49, with 6:15 left. But Rackley got loose for a dunk off an inbounds pass under the JSU bucket to seemingly stem the tide.

Horton’s free throw cut it back to six with 5:23 left but that was as close as the Govs could get.

Rackley responded to his benching by taking over the contest in the final five-plus minutes. Including the dunk, he scored 13 of the Gamecocks’ final 17 points, going 8-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final 3:33.

Rackley matched his season-best with 26 points as he and Felder were the Gamecocks only double-figures scorers.

But that was one more than the Govs. Horton finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds—his eighth double-double this season.

Damarius Smith, who sat out the first 14 games on departmental suspension, made his season’s debut by scoring seven points, dishing out eight assists, grabbing five rebounds and collecting three steals. But he also had five turnovers—all in the first half.

“We played better in the second half, but not good,” Loos said. “We got back in the game because we played better defense.

“For us to be successful, we have to play defense—not give up any easy buckets, cut down on our turnovers and we have to be able to make a shot. We are struggling terribly right now to make a shot.

“We have a lot to clean up before Saturday (APSU plays at Tennessee Tech, 7:30pm) and it all starts above the shoulders.”

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