Austin Peay (3-2) vs. Fort Wayne (5-2)
Wednesday, November 30th, 2016 | 7:30pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team will host a squad that scored one of the NCAA’s signature early-season upsets when Fort Wayne visits the Dunn Center for a 7:30pm, Wednesday tip-off.
Barely a week removed from upending then third-ranked Indiana, Fort Wayne (5-2) will visit the Dunn Center ranked seventh in CollegeInsiders.com’s Mid-Major Top-25 and receiving votes in the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll.
Austin Peay (4-2) is enjoying an early-season run of success in its own right, with the Govs equaling the best start of the Dave Loos era after Saturday’s victory against Spalding.
Junior guard Josh Robinson (21.7 ppg, 4.7 apg) has thrived as both a scorer and distributor in his first season as the full-time point guard, while Kenny Jones (15.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg) has stepped out of Chris Horton‘s shadow to become one of the league’s most efficient shooters (68.5 percent from the floor).
Scouting the Mastodons
Fort Wayne can score in bunches, averaging 86.9 points per game (20th nationally) and can fill it up inside (50.1 percent shooting as a team) and out (8.9 three-pointers per game).
Keep an eye on John Konchar swooping in from the wing—the 6-5 sophomore has three double-doubles on the season (tied for 19th nationally with Austin Peay’s Kenny Jones), including 17 points and 12 boards in the opener against Arkansas and a 15-point, 11-rebound performance in the upset of Indiana.
Summing Up Spalding
The Governors simply shot Spalding out of the building, hitting 59.3 percent from the floor in an 82-63 win. Although it was closer than the score indicated—the Golden Eagles led with less than 10 minutes to go in the first half—Austin Peay forced 22 turnovers and rode a strong bench presence (30 points, compared to Spalding’s seven) to victory to equal the best six-game start of the Dave Loos era.
Last Time Out Against Fort Wayne
Despite a 16-point, 15-rebound night from Chris Horton, the Governors lost the back end of a home-and-home in Fort Wayne, 85-64, December 12th, 2015. After earning a 33-29 halftime lead, the Govs were outscored 56-35 in the second half, with Summit League Player of the Year Max Landis leading all scorers with 28 points and nine three-pointers.
Robinson (14 points) and Mo Evans (22 points, nine rebounds) were integral parts of both attacks who will square off as opposing point guards and leading scorers in Wednesday’s contest; Robinson averages 21.7 per night for the Govs, while Evans paces the Mastodons at 18.1 ppg.
Around the Dunn
Austin Peay’s Ohio Valley Conference Spring Academic Award winners will be honored during the men’s contest.
Keep An Eye On
Milestone Watch
Loos needs four wins for 500 as a collegiate head coach, while Robinson is eight made three-pointers from breaking into APSU’s top-10 all-time.
Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood
One Ohio Valley Conference Player is ranked in the top-five in the conference in scoring, assists, steals and three-point field goals, and that player is Josh Robinson. The junior guard leads the conference with 21.7 ppg, is fourth in three-pointers (3.0/g) and steals (1.8/g) and fifth in assists (4.7/g).
Seeking the Summit
It’s been a little while since Austin Peay’s last victory against a team from the Summit League; the Govs are 2-7 against teams from the Summit in the Dave Loos era, with both victories coming in a home-and-home sweep of IUPUI in 2000.
Kenny Can’t Quit
Jones ranks second in the OVC in shooting (68.5 percent), a mark that ranks 12th nationally. His efficiency in the post has helped Austin Peay shoot an OVC-best 48.6 percent through six contests.
Turnover-Proof
The Govs have not committed more than 13 turnovers since the season opener and have forced at least 13 in each of the last five games. The Govs are third in the OVC and 38th nationally in turnovers per game (11.4).
Second-Unit Pump
The Governors reserves are averaging 29.5 points per contest in wins and 6.0 ppg in losses through six games.
APSU Govs Online
Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay’s Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all Governor athletics, as well as the Governor men’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayMBB). Live stats will be available during the game at www.LetsGoPeay.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com
Postgame video interviews and other videos from around APSU Athletics can be found on our YouTube page (www.youtube.com/CultureofExcellence).
