Austin Peay State University Governors Basketball beats Troy 73-70

APSU Sports Information

Clarksville, TN – Jeremy Purvis scored a career-high 13 points, including a key three pointer with 1:13 left in the game, as Austin Peay State University held off Troy, 73-70, Monday night in non-conference men’s basketball action in Dave Aaron Arena.

The victory snapped the Govs’ three-game losing streak as they improved to 3-7 on the season.

It also halted a Troy three-game win streak and dropped the Sun Belt opponent to 4-4. It was the first meeting between the two teams since 1977.

With Austin Peay clinging to a five-point lead after nearly giving away the entire 16-point second-half advantage, Purvis gathered in a pass from Ed Dyson to nail a three pointer left of the circle. It was the senior point guard’s fourth three pointer. Dyson followed with a pair of free throws to make it a 10-point advantage with 53 seconds left.

But poor free-throw shooting in closing minute almost led to the Govs’ late doing. APSU made just two-of-eight free throws in the closing 41 seconds. The Govs finally were able to close out the game with a midcourt inbounds pass that saw Khalil Davis dribble out the final 2.7 seconds.

The Governors controlled the contest, taking the lead for good, 16-14, on a Chris Horton layup with 8:45 remaining the half. Purvis coincidentally hit a three pointer with 1:13 left in the first half to give APSU a 30-23 halftime advantage.

The Govs, who shot just 12 of 32 (37.5 percent) in the opening half, held Troy, which had shot better than 47 percent in each of its last four contests and more than 50 percent in the first halves of those contests, to only 36 percent (9 of 25) shooting.

In the second half, the Govs extended their lead to double digits on a Ed Dyson layup three minutes into the half and remained double digits until the 9:35 mark. APSU biggest lead, 46-30, came on a Purvis’ third three pointer of the night on a pass from Davis at the 13:56 mark.

But the Govs could not keep Troy down. The Trojans finally began finding their rhythm midway through the second half. Using full-court defensive pressure, Troy began pushing the game’s tempo to their liking.  In a little more than three minutes the Trojans cut their deficit to 57-54 on a John Walton dunk after a Chris Bilbo steal with 5:34 left.

Horton answered with a dunk to make it a five-point game the two teams exchanged single free throws before Kelton Ford again cut it to three with a pair of free throws with 3:48 left. He missed the third a of a three-shot free throw, with Troy grabbing the rebound and cutting the lead to one, 60-59, with 3:35 left.

Freshman Josh Robinson then was fouled driving to the basket and his two free throws extended the lead back to three.

An offensive foul gave the ball back to the Govs with Dyson answering with a layup with 2:50 left. After a missed Troy three pointer with 2:42 left, Chris Horton, after a disjointed possession, was able to barely beat the shot clock with a scrambling layup with 1:57 left to give APSU a 66-59 lead with 1:57 left.

It took Troy less than 15 seconds to respond to cut the deficit to back to five. APSU then used much of the shot clock before Dyson’s pass to Purvis set up the back-breaking three pointer with 1:13 remaining.

Dyson led all APSU scores for the second straight game with 15 points while Purvis added his 13 in just his third game back from injury while Davis scored 12 to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

Horton collected his season’s fifth double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, including two key late offensive grabs. He also had three assists, three blocks and two steals.

APSU finished the night 26 of 56 (46.4 percent) from the floor, including 14 of 24 (58.3 percent) in the second half. But for the second straight game APSU struggled at the free-throw line. The two-for-eight late effort was emblematic of a 13-of-24 (54.2 percent) night.

Musa Abdul-Aleem and Ford led Troy with 15 points while Kevin Thomas finished with a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds).

The Trojans shot 55.2 percent (16 of 29) in the second half but also could point to the free-throw line (13 of 23, 56.5 percent in the second half) for reason why they could not complete the comeback.

Video – Dave Loos

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBL5f-Mv-3w[/youtube]

Box Score