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HomeSportsAPSU Governors Basketball beats Spalding 82-63 at the Dunn Center

APSU Governors Basketball beats Spalding 82-63 at the Dunn Center

APSU Sports Information

APSU Men's Basketball - Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team equaled its best start in the Dave Loos era after dispatching Spalding 82-63, Saturday, in the Dunn Center.

The victory moves Austin Peay to 4-2, equaling six-game marks set by the 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2008-09 under Loos’ direction.

Austin Peay Men's Basketball gets season's fourth win with 82-63 victory over Spalding Saturday night. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Men’s Basketball gets season’s fourth win with 82-63 victory over Spalding Saturday night. (APSU Sports Information)

Each of those three teams reached at least the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game.

If Spalding was supposed to waltz into the Dunn Center and roll over, nobody told the Golden Eagles early on. Spalding held a lead at the 9:46 mark in the half, with Rylan Rowe hitting three three-pointers early to keep the Golden Eagles ahead.

Austin Peay went on a late first-half run to comfortably reach a 14-point lead by halftime, outscoring the Golden Eagles 27-11 over the final 8:42 of the half. Junior Josh Robinson scored 10 of his team-high 20 points during this stretch and has now reached double figures in 23 straight games.

The lead would swell into the 20-point range early in the second half and remain there for much of the game’s remainder. The Governors bench would get in on the act, outscoring Spalding’s 19-5 over the final 20 minutes; the Govs put up 30 bench points in this one, led by senior John Murry with 10.

The Difference

Although both teams shot well in the first half (59.4 percent for the Govs, 54.5 for Spalding), only Austin Peay was able to maintain that in the second half, with the Governors hitting 59.3 percent (16-for-27) after halftime, compared to just 42.9 percent (12-for-28) from the visitors.

The Governors also harassed the Golden Eagles into 22 turnovers (second-most by an APSU opponent this season), resulting in 24 points off turnover.

Notably

Robinson has now scored at least 10 points in 23 consecutive contests. He equaled his career-high with seven assists.

Sophomore Chris Porter-Bunton reached double figures for the first time since the opener at Dayton; he finished with 10 points.

Although his streak of double-doubles came to an end at three games—he was one away tonight with 17 points and nine rebounds—senior Kenny Jones equaled his career high in steals (three).

The Govs attempted (11) and made (five) their season’s fewest free-throws.

The 63 points allowed by the Govs is the fewest points Austin Peay has given up since Jan. 7, 2016 against Jacksonville State.

Quotes

APSU Assistant Head Coach Jay Bowen

“We have to be pleased with the win, but the bottom line is that there’s still a lot of work to go. It’s a process; we have to get to the point where we play 40 minutes. But it’s pleasing to see the scoring start to get spread around. Josh (Robinson) had seven assists and no turnovers, so he’s sharing the ball and still taking his opportunities to score.”

“We like our team. They come to practice, play hard and get along well. We like the way they’re sharing the ball.”

Up Next for the APSU Govs

Austin Peay hosts the front end of a home-and-home with Fort Wayne, 7:30pm, Wednesday, November 30th as part of the first of six home doubleheaders in the Dunn Center. The Mastodons were last spotted knocking off No. 3 Indiana, 71-68, in overtime at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Loos is now four victories away from 500 for his collegiate coaching career.

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