APSU Governors Basketball loses to Southeast Missouri Redhawks 83-80 leaving slim hope for OVC Tournament spot

Austin Peay Sports Information

Cape Girardeau, MO – Austin Peay State University’s improbable comeback came up short, Thursday night, leaving the Govs’ Ohio Valley Conference tourney hopes tenuous.

Trailing by 11 points with 1:16 left, the Governors found themselves a minute later with the ball and trailing by just two points. But Damarius Smith’s fade-away three with four seconds left came up short as Austin Peay lost to the Redhawks, 83-80, in OVC action played at the Show Me Center.

The loss leaves the Govs in ninth place overall in the OVC standings with a 5-10 mark and 11-18 in the OVC.

Southeast Missouri, which gained an OVC tourney berth with the victory, improved to 16-13 overall and 7-8 in the OVC.

For APSU to gain the final OVC tourney berth it needs not only to defeat UT Martin, Saturday, but also needs current eighth-seed Eastern Illinois to lose at SIU Edwardsville.

The Govs came oh so close of not needing that kind of help Thursday night. After SEMO took a 79-68 advantage on a Tyler Stone dunk with 1:16 left, the Govs clawed back.

Travis Betran, who scored a season-high 28 points, was fouled on a three-point shot. He made all three.

The Govs then got it right back when SEMO threw the ensuing inbounds pass, out of bounds. Smith drove, scored and was fouled to cut it to 79-73 with 1:02 left. But Smith was unable to convert the three-point play.

SEMO’s Nino Johnson was sent to the line with 46 seconds left and made both ends of a one-and one to push the lead back to 81-73. But Betran again was fouled on a three-point attempt, making the back two after missing the first to again slice it to six, 81-75, with 38 seconds left.

The Govs then fouled OVC Preaseaon Player of the Year Tyler Stone, who missed the front end of a one-and-one.

The Govs’ Smith then found Triggs underneath for a layup to cut the margin to four, 81-77, with 27 seconds left.

The Govs again fouled Stone with letting any time elapse. He made the first free throw and then missed the second to go up 82-77.

After Smith missed a shot, SEMO’s Stone grabbed the rebound but had the ball stripped. Will Triggs picked it up, dropped it in and was fouled.

After converting the three-point play, the Govs trailed by just two points with 16 seconds remaining.

The Govs forced another turnover and Dyson came away with it with 12 seconds left with APSU calling timeout. But on the ensuing play, the Govs could not shake Betran free and Smith took the potential game winner behind the arc.

SEMO was fouled and made just one of two free throws with 2.3 seconds. APSU had one last chance to tie it with a three but Smith couldn’t clear Dyson in the backcourt and the ball slipped his grasp.

The Govs, who trailed by as much as 10 first-half points after shooting just 36.7 percent (11 of 30) and committing 11 turnovers, were able to slice their deficit to four, 40-34, at halftime.

SEMO again extended that lead to 10 in the second half but the Govs stormed back. In fact, APSU had multiple opportunities to gain the advantage but could never get over that hump, allowing SEMO to regain the momentum and stretch that margin to 11 heading into the game’s closing minutes.

For a third time in February, Betran and Ed Dyson had 20-point outings in the same contest—Dyson connected on 6-of-10 from the floor, including a trio of three pointers, to finish with 20 while Betran also hit a trio of threes while converting 11-of-12 free throws en route to his 28-point effort. Triggs was APSU’s other double-digit scorer with 15 points, going 6-of-8 from the floor.

Stone led five SEMO players in double figures with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jarekious Bradley added 16 points.

SEMO shot 60 percent (33 of 55) from the floor. APSU held a slight 34-33 rebound advantage as Chris Horton snared a game-high 13 rebounds.

Box Score