APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – A microcosm of Austin Peay State University’s second-half troubles against Murray State could be summed up with one play, Saturday night.
With 4:15 left in the second half against the Racers and the Governors trailing 56-50, Josh Robinson and Chris Horton went up for a rebound of Damarcus Coaker’s missed shot.
Seemingly from that point on it was Murray State’s game as they outscored the Governors 20-10 down the stretch as the Racers came away with a 76-60 victory in Dave Aaron Arena to exact revenge on the Govs on their win two Saturdays ago. More importantly, it keeps the Racers in a first-place tie with UT Martin in the OVC West with a 9-5 OVC mark and 15-12 overall.
The Governors fell to 12-17 and 5-9 in the OVC—the same league mark as Eastern Kentucky as the two teams battle for the final league tourney spot. If the two teams tie, the Colonels gain the berth on the grounds of beating the Govs head-to-head earlier this season.
The Governors and Racers battled to a 31 halftime tie and the two teams battled neck and neck during the second half’s first 11 minutes. With the Govs down by one point, 47-46, with 9:30 left, the game started slipping away.
Horton was unable to complete a play inside but the Govs maintained the ball but a turnover lead to Jeffery Moss three pointer. On the ensuing possession, Kenny Jones missed a lane shot and it again turned into a Moss three pointer with 7:33 left—a one-point game became a seven- point one.
After cutting the deficit to six and seemingly having the ball after a Racer miss, the wrong-goal basket took away any momentum. In fact, it represented a second half that saw the Govs outscored 15-0 in points off turnovers along with an 11-2 second-half points deficit.
Toss in the fact the Governors, who had made at least 75 percent of their 96 free throws in the previous three games, connected on just 10-of-24 free throws (42 percent), it certainly was a formula for failure.
Add to that Racers’ preseason All-OVC guard Jeffery Moss scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half, including four three pointers. He was one of four Racers in double figures.
Coaker finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Bryce Jones added 123, despite foul trouble, and Gee Mchee added 11.
Robinson led the Govs with 17 points, but 11 in the first half. Horton finished with 16 while Khalil Davis added 12 and Jones 10.
The Governors converted 50 percent of their shots, but took only 44 all night and committed just 10 turnovers, but six came in the all-decisive second half.
Up Next
The Austin Peay Governors are back on the road Thursday, February 25th, 2016 to take on SIU Edwardsville. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00pm CT.
