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Austin Peay Governors Basketball’s bench scores 47 points to rally past the UT Martin Skyhawks, 85-67

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Men’s Basketball

Austin Peay State University GovernorsMartin, TN – Austin Peay State University’s bench combined for 47 points as the Governors defeated UT Martin, 85-67, Thursday night in Ohio Valley Conference basketball action played at the Elam Center.

The victory improved the Governors to 11-19 overall and 7-8 in the OVC. The Governors entered the  night needing either an Eastern Illinois loss or an APSU victory to qualify for their 28th straight OVC tournament. Although EIU’s loss at Morehead State earlier in the night allowed the Govs to qualify, the Govs coaching staff chose not to inform the players to make sure they maintained their focus.

Herdie Lawrence came off the bench to score a season high 19 points to help the Austin Peay Governors past UT Martin Thursday night. Austin Peay Men's Basketball. (Courtesy: William Powell)
Herdie Lawrence came off the bench to score a season high 19 points to help the Austin Peay Governors past UT Martin Thursday night. Austin Peay Men's Basketball. (Courtesy: William Powell)

However, it took the work of the Governors reserves to energize APSU’s first-half effort. Trailing 12-5, APSU head coach Dave Loos turned to freshman guard Herdie Lawrence and junior guard Justin Blake. The duo sparked a 14-2 run, each scoring five points (both had threes during the stretch) to give Austin Peay an advantage it would never relinquish.

When UT Martin made a run to get closer, the Govs turned to another reserve, freshman forward Chris Freeman, who completed a three-point play to extend APSU’s lead back to five, 22-17.

Herdie LawrenceBy half’s end, the trio had 26 points-Lawrence 10 while Blake and Freeman each had eight-as APSU built a 43-30 lead.

With Will Triggs joining the fray in the second half, the bench scored 21 more points. But it was the starters, in particular center John Fraley and forward Josh Terry, who helped navigate the Govs through some treacherous territory.

When UT Martin whittled APSU’s lead down to four points, 49-45, it was Fraley who worked his way inside to extend the lead to six and then Terry hit a free throw to make it a seven-point game.

Justin BlakeBut the Skyhawks hung close and it again took Lawrence and Blake to break the game open.

With APSU leading by six, 59-53, midway through the half, Lawrence knocked down a jumper before Blake’s only second-half three pointer extended the lead to 11. After UTM cut it back to single digits, Triggs knocked down a pair of free throws with 8:13 left to extend the lead back to 11, 66-55.

UTM would never cut the deficit to single digits again.

Lawrence finished the night with a season-best 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Blake added 11 and Freeman a career-best 10. For the night Austin Peay’s bench outscored UTM, 47-10.

Fraley added 16 points and Terry 15 to five APSU five players in double figures for the first time since the Detroit game, last November 23rd.

The Govs finished the night 30-of-54 (55.6 percent) from the floor.

Chris FreemanMike Liabo led all scorers for UTM with 27 points while Dane Smith added 16.

The loss dropped the Skyhawks to 4-26 overall and 0-15 in the OVC.

The Austin Peay Governors return home to the Dunn Center Saturday night, February 25th to take on the Southeast Missouri. Tipoff is at 7:30pm.

Box Score

Austin Peay vs UT Martin
2-23-12 – 7:30pm at Elam Center – Martin, TN

Austin Peay 85

Total 3-point Rebounds
## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min
01 CLYBURN, Jerome * 0-1 0-0 2-2 0-1 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 14
12 EDMONDSON, TyShwan * 2-4 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 5 5 0 0 0 0 16
20 BAKER, Melvin * 0-3 0-1 0-0 2-3 5 3 0 0 2 0 0 17
21 FRALEY, John * 6-9 0-0 4-8 4-3 7 4 16 1 1 3 1 34
23 TERRY, Josh * 5-10 0-0 5-6 1-2 3 2 15 4 0 0 1 25
10 TRIGGS, Will 2-3 0-0 3-4 1-2 3 1 7 0 0 2 0 14
11 GREER, Thomas 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-2 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 15
15 FREEMAN, Chris 4-4 0-0 2-3 2-3 5 1 10 0 2 0 1 14
22 LAWRENCE, Herdie 7-9 4-5 1-2 0-2 2 3 19 5 4 0 1 28
32 BLAKE, Justin 4-10 3-7 0-2 0-4 4 0 11 3 1 0 1 23
TM TEAM 0-0 0
Totals………….. 30-54 8-15 17-27 10-23 33 22 85 15 11 5 6 200
55.6% 53.3% 63.0%
Team summary: FG 3FG FT
1st Half: 15-26 5-9 8-11
57.7% 55.6% 72.7%
2nd Half: 15-28 3-6 9-16
53.6% 50.0% 56.3%

 

UT Martin 67

Total 3-point Rebounds
## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min
10 LIABO, Mike * 9-16 4-6 5-7 1-3 4 1 27 2 1 0 0 33
11 MINOR, Omari * 1-3 0-0 0-0 1-5 6 4 2 6 3 0 1 32
25 WASHINGTON, Jeremy * 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-2 2 5 0 0 1 0 0 13
31 SMITH, Dane * 7-12 0-1 2-4 3-4 7 3 16 1 1 0 2 30
35 MACLIN, Corderio * 3-8 0-0 6-10 3-1 4 3 12 1 3 1 1 38
00 LOVE, Gary 2-4 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 10
01 RICHARDSON, Chris 0-3 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 10
02 TAYLOR, Khristian 0-0 0-0 1-2 0-0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 7
12 KING, Troy 1-4 1-2 2-2 2-3 5 4 5 1 2 0 0 27
TM TEAM 2-0 2
Totals………….. 23-52 5-12 16-25 12-18 30 22 67 13 15 1 4 200
44.2% 41.7% 64.0%
Team summary: FG 3FG FT
1st Half: 11-28 4-9 4-8
39.3% 44.4% 50.0%
2nd Half: 12-24 1-3 12-17
50.0% 33.3% 70.6%

 

Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Austin Peay 43 42 85 Record: (11-19 (7-8 OVC))
UT Martin 30 37 67 Record: (4-26 (0-15 OVC))
Officials: Andrew Walton (r), John St. Clair, Loyd Rice
Technical fouls: Austin Peay-EDMONDSON, TyShwan; LAWRENCE, Herdie. UT Martin-MINOR, Omari; LIABO, Mike.
Attendance: 1331
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