Austin Peay Lady Govs vs. UT Martin Skyhawks
Saturday, March 1st, 2014 | 2:00pm CT
Martin, TN | Elam Center (5,000)
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s basketball (9-19, 6-9 OVC) needs a win or a little help when it travels to Ohio Valley Conference-leading UT Martin Skyhawks (21-7, 14-1 OVC) for a 2:00pm, March 1st, contest at the Elam Center on the regular season’s final day.
A win puts the Lady Govs into the tournament; Austin Peay gets into the tournament if the Lady Govs, SIU Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State tie at 7-9 (JSU loses to Belmont, SIUE beats EIU, Lady Govs beat UT Martin) or if APSU, SIUE and Morehead State tie at 6-10 (Lady Govs and SIUE both lose, Morehead State defeats Tennessee Tech).
The Lady Govs face a tall order in their journey to Martin; the Skyhawks are averaging an OVC-best 91.7 points during conference play, with seniors Jasmine Newsom and Heather Butler both averaging more than 20 points per contest. UT Martin leads the conference in made three-pointers (9.0) and free-throws (21.2) per game during conference play.
Last time out, Austin Peay took a 14-point lead into halftime, only to see the Skyhawks score 64 second-half points in a 95-81 loss in Clarksville. Butler (30 points) and Newsome (37) went a combined 26-for-29 from the free-throw line, which counteracted sublime efforts from Austin Peay’s Kristen Stainback, who finished with a career-high 34 points, and Jennifer Nwokoch, who netted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Austin Peay Lady Govs
The Lady Govs are 4-3 on the road in OVC play this season while posting a 2-6 mark at home. Four APSU players are averaging 10 or more points in conference play, with sophomore Tiasha Gray’s 15.3 mark leading the squad.
Five APSU players have recorded a double-double this season, sophomore Jennifer Nwokocha leading APSU with five double-doubles.
Austin Peay has snapped a pair of 10-game losing streaks during the season – a 10-game overall losing streak was stopped with a win at Morehead State, January 13th, and a 10-game home OVC losing streak was ended with a January 25th win against Tennessee Tech.
Austin Peay’s non-conference strength of schedule (.546 win percentage) ranks 54th according to WBBState.com.
UT Martin Skyhawks
UT Martin is coasting into the regular season’s final day having comfortably locked up both the OVC West Division title and the top seed in next week’s OVC Tournament.
UT Martin’s Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome are both prime OVC Player of the Year candidates – the duo enter play ranked first (Butler) and fourth (Newsome) in the conference in scoring.
Skyhawk frosh Ashia Jones has quietly been one of the OVC’s best players during conference play, averaging 18.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg on 66.4 percent shooting.
An Austin Peay Win Would
Snap a five-game losing streak. Snap a five-game losing streak to the Skyhawks… Be its first win against UT Martin on the road since 2009… Make it 6-4 against the West Division. Make it 6-8 overall and 5-3 in OVC action on the road this season. Improve Carrie Daniels’ record to 89-157 overall and 59-83 in OVC action. Make the Lady Govs 442-629 overall since 1976-77.
Broadcast Information
Primary Radio: Governors Sports Network
Play-by-play: David Loos
Color: Colby Wilson
ipTV: www.OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live Audio: www.LetsGoPeay.com
Live Stats: www.UTMSports.com
