APSU Governors Basketball takes on rival Murray State Racers Friday at the Dunn Center

Murray State Racers vs. Austin Peay Governors

Friday, January 31st, 2014 | 8:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dave Aaron Arena/Dave Loos Court

Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team hosts the Murray State Racers in the Ohio Valley Conference’s best rivalry Friday, in the Dunn Center. Tipoff is at 8:00pm.

The contest will be televised by the CBS Sports Network—the Govs’ first telecast on the network that was rebranded from CBS College Sports Network in February 2011.

The Govs come in 9-12 overall and 3-4 in the OVC and have lost six straight in the series.

This is the 119th meeting between the two OVC rivals, Austin Peay and Murray State, with the Governors trailing, 78-41. The Racers won this season’s earlier meeting, 89-67, January 11th in Murray, KY.

Dexter Fields led six Racers in double figures with 20 points. Travis Betran and Will Triggs each had 17 for the Govs. The loss was the Govs sixth straight in the series.

Austin Peay Governors

APSU is coming off an 83-69 victory against Tennessee Tech, 83-69.

Senior forward Will Triggs recorded his season’s first double-double with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. As a result, Triggs stopped Chris Horton’s streak at 20 games of leading or co-leading the Govs in rebounding. Horton finished with nine.

Junior point guard Damarius Smith, after missing the Jacksonville State game with an ankle sprain, played all 40 minutes against Tennessee Tech and scored 18 points while dishing nine assists.

After going 3-of-13 from three-point territory against Jacksonville State, the Governors went 7-of-12 (58 percent) against Tennessee Tech.

After scoring seven points against Jacksonville State, senior guard Travis Betran, a preseason All-OVC selection, scored a game-high 20 points, going 4-of-7 from three and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free-throw line.

The Governors converted 25-of-37 (68 percent) from the field against Tennessee Tech, the second best field goal percentage they shot this season and the best against a Division I opponent.

The Governors connected on 26 of 32 free throw attempts against Tennessee Tech, the 81.3 percentage a season best.

Murray State Racers

Murray State comes in at 7-1 in the OVC West and 12-8 overall.

The Racers (12-8) are coming off a two-game sweep of home games against Tennessee Tech (January 23rd) 92-53 and Jacksonville State (January 25th) 73-65 as MSU pushed their win streak on their home court to eight straight.

But now the Racers start a three-game road swing that takes them to Austin Peay, then next week to Belmont (February 6th) and Tennessee State (February 8th).

The Racers are 2-7 on the road this season and 2-1 in the OVC with wins at Eastern Kentucky (January 8th) and Eastern Illinois (January 16th). MSU lost at SIU Edwardsville (January 18th).

The Racers, who beat the Govs 89-67 in Murray earlier this season, are led by freshman guard Cameron Payne (14.9 ppg) and transfer T.J. Sapp (13.9 ppg) while guard Jeffrey Moss (13.2 ppg) had seven threes against Tennessee Tech.

What A Win Would Mean

It would make the Governors 10-12 heading into next Thursday’s road contest at Tennessee State…it would make the Govs 4-4 in the OVC…it would make the Govs 4-4 in 2014…it would improve the Govs to 8-3 at home… they would go to 4-1 at home in OVC play.

It would improve the Govs to 42-78 against Murray State… it would give Dave Loos a 20-33 record against Murray State…it would make Loos 1-5 all-time against Murray State coach Steve Prohm…it would be Dave Loos’ 463rd career victory.

What A Loss Would Mean

The Govs would drop to 9-13 overall…they would fall two games below the .500 mark in OVC play at 3-5…they would end January at 3-5…it would drop APSU’s home mark to 7-4…it would be APSU’s seventh straight loss in the series…Loos would drop to 462-399 overall and 380-346 as the Governors head coach.

Finding The Range

In Austin Peay’s previous three games, they shot a combined 10-of-42 (24 percent) from behind the arc. Against Tennessee Tech they shot 7-of-12 (58 percent).

Free Throw High

After going 2-of-11 at the free throw line in the first half against Jacksonville State and 14 of 27 for the game, the Govs shot a season best 81 percent (26 of 32) from the line against Tennessee Tech. Senior guard Travis Betran led the Govs in free-throw percentage, going 8-for-8.

Catching Fire

After starting the game 1-for-5 from the field against Tennessee Tech, the Govs went 24-of-33 (72.7 percent) the game’s remainder. The 68 percent shooting effort was their second highest percentage this season and best during OVC play.

Strange Stat

Despite permitting 18 offensive rebounds, the Govs out-rebounded Tennessee Tech, 29-27, the seventh time in the last 10 games they have out-rebounded the opponent.

Media Center

Radio: Governors Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Loos
Analyst: Brad Kirtley

WVRY 105.1-FM

www.letsgopeay.com

Television: CBS Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Ed Cohen
Analyst: Kevin Lehman