Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team hosts its only exhibition contest when NAIA foe Tennessee Wesleyan makes the trip for a 7:00pm, Tuesday, October 29th, 2019 tip-off in the Dunn Center.
The Governors only exhibition game will feature free admission, with the Austin Peay State University ticketing staff on hand to answer any questions regarding 2019-20 ticketing options.
The regular-season will tip off with a 5:30pm, November 5th matchup, in the Dunn Center against Kentucky Wesleyan.
The Govs will wrap up a season-opening three-game home stand when Christian Brothers visits for a 7:00pm, November 8th matchup, before hitting the road for the first time the following week.
About Tennessee Wesleyan
Tennessee Wesleyan returns four of five starters from the 2018-19 season, but will be without their leading scorer (17.3 ppg) and rebounder (8.9 rpg), Hunter Simpson, who graduated. Senior Hannah Cherry is the Bulldog’s top returning scorer; she posted 9.6 points per game while playing the second most minutes on the team, behind only Simpson.
Savannah Atkins is a dangerous three-point weapon for the Bulldogs; the senior-forward hit 60 triples a season ago, while shooting 35.1% from three-point range. All 15 players on the Tennessee Wesleyan roster hail from the Volunteer State.
Series History
The Governors last matchup with Tennessee Wesleyan was a home-and-home series in November 1984. The APSU Govs won the first game in Clarksville, 83-64, before making the trip to Athens 11 days later, winning 69-64.
- Austin Peay vs. Bulldogs All-Time: 5-2
- Record in Clarksville: 3-1
What to watch for
Preseason All-OVC selection Arielle Gonzalez-Varner was a force in the post a season ago. The senior from Cincinnati Ohio averaged 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and posted the only 30-20 in program, history – 32 points and 23 rebounds vs. Mississippi Valley State, November 19th, 2018.
The Governors also broke the team record for three-point field goals attempted, firing 743 times from deep, breaking the old record (583) by 160 attempts.
Last season Maggie Knowles ranked fifth in the OVC – shooting 39.4% from three-point range, good enough for the seventh best season mark in program history. Her 39.4% thee-point percentage and 43 made three-pointers were the third best single season total by an Austin Peay freshman.
Five new APSU Govs: Redshirt freshman D’Shara Booker, junior college transfers Tahanee Bennell and Alayjah Sherer, and freshmen Ella Sawyer and Shay-Lee Kirby will all make their Austin Peay State University debuts.
Australian natives Sawyer and Bennell will be the first foreign-born players to suit up for the Governors since 2008-09.