41.9 F
Clarksville
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeSportsAPSU Governors hold off Tennessee State

APSU Governors hold off Tennessee State

APSU Governors LogoFive players scored in double figures as Austin Peay State University rallied in the final half to defeat Tennessee State, 79-77, in Ohio Valley Conference basketball action played at Dave Aaron Arena, Saturday afternoon.

Anthony Campbell led the Governors, who improved to 10-9 overall and 4-3 in the OVC, with his first career double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Wes Channels added 16 points while Justin Blake, making his first start since the season’s second game, added 15.

Justin Blake scored a career-best 15 points in his second career start. (Lois Jones/Austin Peay)
Justin Blake scored a career-best 15 points in his second career start. (Lois Jones/Austin Peay)

John Fraley scored 11 points while grabbing nine rebounds while Tyrone Caldwell, making his first start since Glenn Wilkes Classic back in November, added 10.

As a team the Governors shot 51.9 percent in the contest but needed to shoot that well as Tennessee Stare forced a season-high 24 Austin Peay turnovers, including 15 in the first half.

Austin Peay jumped out to an early double-digit lead, at 21-9, but Tennessee State’s full-court pressure created a 31-10 Tigers run that saw freshman guard Jacquan Nobles knocked down four three pointers during the stretch, his last giving TSU a 40-31 advantage with 2:26 left in the half.

APSU did bounced back to outscored TSU 7-2 before the break, including a three pointer by Wesley Channels with two seconds left as the Govs trailed 42-38 at intermission.

Early in the second half the visitors led by as many as seven points, 49-42, before APSU began clawing back. Two Fraley free throws and consecutive three pointers by Blake and Campbell gave APSU a 50-49 advantage.

APSU was able to maintain a short advantage for much of the next five minutes. Two Robert Covington free throws gave TSU the lead, 62-61, with 10:23 left before a 13-4 Governors run provided APSU the lead for good, not that the Govs did not incur anxious moments down the stretch.

With APSU leading 76-70, Covington knocked down a three pointer to cut the lead in half—that in the middle of nine straight points scored by the freshman forward who cut it to one 30 seconds later with two free throws.

Channels then answered with a pair of free throws before Nobles again made it a one-point game with a jump shot with 1:07 left.

After another APSU turnover, Darius Cox missed an inside shot with 11 seconds left. Campbell rebounded and was fouled with 7.9 seconds left. After a couple of delays, Campbell made the first of a two free throws before missing the second.

TSU had one final attempt to tie or win the game, but coming out of a timeout, Josh Sain’s forced three pointer, with Campbell in his face, came well short as the Govs escaped.

Nobles finished with 20 points as did junior forward Josh Sain. Covington added 15 points and nine rebounds while Cox added 10.

RELATED ARTICLES

Latest Articles