Austin Peay (19-10 | 13-3 OVC) vs. Morehead State (13-16 | 7-9 OVC)
Thursday, February 27th, 2020 | 8:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – The final week of the regular season sees the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team hosting Morehead State in a must-win Senior Night affair, 8:00pm, Thursday night, February 26th, 2020 in the Dunn Center.
In a three-way tie for first heading into the final weekend, the Govs are still in the drivers seat for the league title and No. 1 seed at next week’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
If Austin Peay State University wins out, the Govs are the champs. Any other scenario is… complicated.
Thursday is Senior Night; the Govs will honor Evan Hinson and senior manager Skyler Bauer pregame. Austin Peay State University Athletics and the Student-Athlete Advisory are partnering to host a food drive and fundraiser for the S.O.S. On-Campus Food Bank at Austin Peay State University.
Game sponsor Coca-Cola will be giving away water bottles, and fans can use the promo code OVC for $5.00 general admission tickets and $12.00 reserved tickets; pre-purchasing tickets online with the promo code also will enter fans to win two free all-session tickets to next week’s OVC Tournament.
About the Morehead State Eagles
First, the scenarios. Austin Peay State University has clinched a top-four seed at least a bye to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Morehead State is still playing for its tournament life, among the four teams vying for the final three spots. An Austin Peay State University loss all but dooms the Governors in their pursuit of a league crown, while a Morehead State loss sends them into the final game in desperate need of a win. Both teams have a lot to play for in this one.
That Morehead State is even alive in the league race is a testament to its defense; the Eagles hold opponents to 42.7 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from three, with a league-leading 4.6 blocks per night altering many of the shots that go up. Because it’s certainly not with offense, where the Eagles have struggled to some of the nation’s worst marks from three (29.6 percent, 329th nationally) and at the free-throw line (63.7 percent, 333rd).
A hallmark of Morehead State teams dating back to the Donnie Tyndall era has been aggressive play bordering on dirty, but under Preston Spradlin the Eagles have reined it in and the result has been that opponents make fewer trips to the line; Morehead State commits just 15.9 fouls per night, third-fewest in the conference.
James Baker patrols the paint, Justin Thomas pilots the offense and Jordan Walker is the go-to guy if the Eagles need a bucket; look for Walker to have the ball in his hands if the APSU Govs have to foul, as one of the reliable free-throw shooters (76.9 percent) on the Eagle roster.
Last Time Out Against Morehead State
A perfunctory 95-81 win saw the Govs advance to the semifinals of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and Chris Porter-Bunton join the 1,000-point club on the same night. Austin Peay would build the lead to as much as 22 points on the strength of a decided advantage on the glass, outrebounding Morehead State by 20 thanks to Porter-Bunton (nine rebounds), Jabari McGhee (16) and Terry Taylor (10).
Keep An Eye On
A win would give the APSU Govs 16 straight home wins dating back to last season and give them an unbeaten record at home for the first time since 2003-04.
Terry Taylor is the only player in the nation leading his conference in scoring and rebounding and is one of four qualified Division I players averaging better than 20 points and 10 boards. For his career, he’s one of four active Division I players shooting better than 50 percent from the floor, 35 percent from three and 70 percent at the free-throw line.
A win would be Austin Peay State University’s fifth straight against Morehead State, the longest winning streak for either program in the series since the Govs won six straight from 2003-06.
A win for Austin Peay State University would even the all-time series at 56-56.
A win would give the Govs back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2006-07 and 2007-08 and make head coach Matt Figger the first Austin Peay State University head coach with two 20-win seasons in his first three years at the helm.
Milestone Watch—Career
Terry Taylor needs 11 points to pass Tom Morgan for fourth all-time in scoring. He needs one rebound to become the fourth player in program history with 900 rebounds and one blocked shot to take sole possession of fifth all-time.
Milestone Watch—Season
Jordyn Adams needs 22 points to pass Taylor for the second-highest freshman mark in program history and needs six threes to set the single-season freshman record. Taylor needs 29 points to move into the top-10 in single-season scoring and join Fly Williams as the only Austin Peay State University player with two of the program’s 10 greatest single-season scoring marks. He’s also 14 rebounds away from passing Greg Kinman for the sixth-highest single-season mark.
APSU Tickets
Governors Courtside Seating is winding down for the 2019-20 season. Fans can contact the APSU Athletics Ticket Office for courtside seating availability and pricing. The VIPeay Hoops Experience, available to Black Tie Monocle Society members and above, also returns for 2019-20 after a successful debut last season.
For more information on joining the Governors in the Dunn Center this winter or to become involved with the Monocle Society, call 931.221.PEAY. You can also purchase tickets online at www.LetsGoPeay.com/buytickets; be sure to access the new 360-degree view of the Dunn Center when purchasing tickets. All-session packages for the 2020 OVC Basketball Tournament are now available through the Austin Peay State Universityticket office for $80.00.
Austin Peay State University Govs Online
Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay State University’s Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all Governor athletics, as well as the APSU Governor men’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayMBB). Live stats will be available during the game at PeayStats.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on the ESPN+ app.
