Austin Peay (2-10) at East Tennessee (6-6)
Monday, December 21st, 2015 | 6:00pm CT
Johnson City, TN | Brooks Gymnasium
Johnson City, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team will but a bow on the 2015 portion of its schedule when it meets East Tennessee in a 6:00pm (CT), Monday contest at Madison Brooks Gymnasium.
In addition to ending the 2015 calendar year, Monday’s game also is the final game of a four-game road trip and the Govs final nonconference tilt this season. It has been one of the toughest nonconference slates in Division I this season, ranking 32nd nationally according to WBBState.com.
Austin Peay showed an improved performance in all phases of its game in Wednesday’s 66-55 loss at Arkansas State. The Govs led after the first quarter and save a three-minute lapse midway through the third quarter stood toe-to-toe with the Red Wolves.
Yet, that three-minute lapse was pivotal as ASU pieced together an 11-0 run in a game that was ultimately decided by 11 points.
Senior guard Tiasha Gray led Austin Peay with 14 points but battled through an uneven performance that saw her make just 6-of-16 from the floor and commit a career-high 10 turnovers.
Junior center Tearra Banks and sophomore guard Madison Rich each supplied 12 points off the bench. Banks making 6-of-8 from the floor while Rich was the only APSU player to attempt a free throw and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the line.
East Tennessee will conclude a busy stretch of three games in six days. The Buccaneers opened with a 70-55 home win against Campbell, Wednesday, before winning a 65-58 contest at Davidson, Friday morning. Junior guard Shamauria Bridges scored 25 points in the win at Campbell and followed that with 20 points at Davidson.
The More You Know
Bank on Banks
Junior center Tearra Banks is in rareified air through the season’s first half, ranking 10th among all Division I players in field goal percentage (62.3) entering 2015’s final game.
Only one player in APSU history has finished a season shooting better than 60 percent – Gerlonda Hardin, who accomplished the feat all four years she played at Austin Peay and finished her career shooting 61.8 percent from the floor.
Gray Milestone Watch Continues
Senior guard Tiasha Gray enters Wednesday’s contest needing just 19 points to become only the fourth APSU women’s basketball player to reach the 1,500-point plateau. She also is within sight of the following milestones during her final season in an Austin Peay uniform:
OVC Career Steals | Currently 7th (262)
Next: 288 by Danielle Carson (YSU, 1982-86)
APSU Career Steals | Currently 1st (262)
Previous Record: 243 by Tracie Mason (1987-91)
APSU Career Points | Currently 6th (1,495)
Next: 1,497 by Ashley Haynes (2002-06)
APSU Career Assists | Currently 4th (414)
Next: 435 by Paige Smith (1999-03)
Lady Govs Ledger
Also returning are junior Tearra Banks, sophomore Brianne Alexander, senior Jennifer Nwokocha and junior Beth Rates – composing five of the team’s top six in both scoring and rebounding.
About the Buccaneers
East Tennessee returns eight letterwinners, including three starters, from a 2014-15 team that posted a 21-12 record and appeared in the 2015 WNIT. Junior Shamauria Bridges and sophomore guard Tianna Tarter were each Preseason All-Southern Conference selections after finishing 14-15 as ETSU’s leading and second-leading scorer, respectively.
The Buccaneers suffered a 64-41 loss to Ohio Valley Conference-member Eastern Kentucky, November 27th.
An Austin Peay Win Would
Be its second straight win against East Tennessee. End its nine-game losing streak. Be its first road win this season. End a 16-game losing streak in road nonconference tilts that dates back to November 12th, 2013. Be its first win against a Division I opponent this season. Make head coach David Midlick 3-10 in his first season at Austin Peay and 48-26 in his third season as a head coach overall. Make the Govs 454-660 overall since 1976-77.
Broadcast Information
Radio • Governors Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Brian Rives
Lady Govs Online
Live Video: www.SoConDigitalNetwork.com
Live APSU Audio: www.LetsGoPeay.com/Listen
Live Statistics: www.PeayStats.com
