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APSU Lady Govs Basketball open OVC play against Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Dunn Center

Austin Peay vs. Eastern Kentucky

Saturday, January 2nd, 2016| 4:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center

Austin Peay State University Lady Govs - APSUClarksville, TN – For the first time in 32 days, Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team will play a home contest when it hosts Eastern Kentucky in a 4:00pm, Saturday Ohio Valley Conference-opening contest at the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay Women's Basketball hosts Eastern Kentucky Colonels at the Dunn Center to begin OVC Season. (APSU Sports Information)

The 39th OVC women’s basketball campaign began Thursday with three games scheduled. The APSU-EKU contest is one of five games scheduled on league slate’s first Saturday.

The 2015-16 OVC schedule will see each team play a 16-game slate – playing six teams once and five teams twice.

Austin Peay, which returns to the hardwood for the first time in 11 days, brings a 10-game losing streak into the New Year, but showed improvement in each of its final three games before the Christmas break.

In their last action, the Govs carried a lead into the final minute of its 80-76 loss at East Tennessee, December 21st. Austin Peay led with 41 seconds left, but ETSU scored the game’s final five points to escape with the win.

Senior guard Tiasha Gray led Austin Peay with 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting, becoming the fifth APSU player to score 1,500 career points. Junior center Tearra Banks went 7-of-11 from the floor and posted a 19-point, eight-rebound effort off the bench.

Eastern Kentucky brings a two-game win streak into Saturday’s contest after downing Division II Davis & Elkins, 73-58, Wednesday. Senior guard Shameekia Murray led the Colonels with a 16-point, six-assist outing. Junior forwards Jalen O’Bannon (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Michaela Hunter (10 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles in the victory.

The More You Know

APSU Tearra BanksBank on Banks
Junior center Tearra Banks is in rarified air through 2015’s end, entering the New Year ranked eighth among all Division I players in field goal percentage (62.4).

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 became only the fifth APSU women’s basketball player to reach the 1,500-point plateau with her 27-point performance at East Tennessee, December 21st.

APSU Tiasha GrayShe also is within sight of the following milestones during her final season in an Austin Peay uniform:

OVC Career Steals | Currently 7th (263)
Next: 288 by Danielle Carson (YSU, 1982-86)

APSU Career Steals | Currently 1st (263)
Previous Record: 243 by Tracie Mason (1987-91)

APSU Career Points | Currently 5th (1,522)
Next: 1,550 by Whitney Hanley (2008-12)

APSU Career Assists | Currently 4th (418)
Next: 435 by Paige Smith (1999-03)

Lady Govs Ledger

David Midlick inherited an Austin Peay women’s basketball team largely unchanged from its 2014-15 edition. Four starters and 11 letterwinners return from a team that posted the program’s best record since 2010-11.

Senior guard Tiasha Gray highlights the returning group after earning Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.

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 Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Eastern Kentucky ColonelsEastern Kentucky returns eight letterwinners, including four starters, that posted a 9-17 record last season and a 4-12 mark in OVC play. The Colonels opened 2015-16 with a 4-1 mark that included wins against Miami (Ohio) and East Tennessee. EKU then battled through a four-game losing streak with losses to Wright State and Western Kentucky.

The Colonels bring a two-game win streak into their OVC opener, downing Saint Francis (PA) and Division II Davis & Elkins.

Senior Shameeka Murray and junior Michaela Hunter were preseason All-OVC picks and are backing that up so far this season. Murray is averaging 16.0 points per game, including a 34-point effort against Saint Francis. Hunter has averaged 11.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game entering league play.

An Austin Peay Win Would

Be its second-straight win against Eastern Kentucky. End its 10-game losing streak. Make it 3-2 at the Dunn Center this season. Be its first win against a Division I opponent this season. Be a second-straight OVC-opening victory. Be head coach David Midlick‘s first OVC win in his first attempt. Make Midlick 3-11 in his first season at Austin Peay and 48-27 in his third season as a head coach overall. Make the Govs 454-661 overall (230-330 in OVC action) since 1976-77.

Broadcast Information

Radio | WAPX 91.9 FM
Play-by-Play: Blake Ball

OVC Digital Network
Presented by: APSU Department of Communication
Play-by-Play: Charlie Patten
Analyst: Cameron Clark
Sideline: Kimberly Traylor


Lady Govs on the Web

Live Video: www.OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live APSU Audio: www.LetsGoPeay.com/Listen
Live Statistics: www.PeayStats.com

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