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HomeSportsAPSU Women's Basketball faces Tennessee State in Nashville, Wednesday

APSU Women’s Basketball faces Tennessee State in Nashville, Wednesday

Austin Peay (3-2 | 1-0 OVC) at Tennessee State (0-3 | 0-1 OVC)

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 | 5:00pm CT
Nashville, TN | Gentry Center

APSU Women's BasketballClarksville, TN – After an 11-day hiatus for the holidays, Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball is set to make the quick trip down I-24 to square off with Tennessee State on Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 at the Gentry Center in Nashville. The tip-off is at 5:00pm.

Austin Peay State University Women's Basketball is on the road Wednesday to take on Tennessee State. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay State University Women’s Basketball is on the road Wednesday to take on Tennessee State. (APSU Sports Information)

Austin Peay State University is 1-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play, as the Governors stole a win on the road at Murray State, 64-60, in their league opener.

After Wednesday’s game at Tennessee State, the Govs will play their OVC home opener, when they welcome Eastern Kentucky for a 1:00pm, Saturday tilt in the Winfield Dunn Center.

Both of Austin Peay women’s basketballs OVC matchups this week are the first game in a doubleheader, as the APSU Governors men’s team will tip-off at 8:00pm at Tennessee State and at 4:00pm, Saturday when they host Eastern Kentucky.

About the Tennessee State Lady Tigers

After an 11th-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season in 2019-20; the OVC’s coaches and SIDs picked Tennessee State to finish 12th in the 2020-21 Preseason Poll, and the league’s media tabbed the Lady Tigers to finish 11th in their preseason poll. 

First-year head coach Ty Evans spent the past 13 years as an assistant coach in the Southeastern Conference, with a stop at Alabama and most recently as the Associate Head Coach at Auburn (2015-20). In his first season at Tennessee State, Evans will return three starters and seven letterwinners from a squad that posted a 4-24 mark overall and went 2-16 in conference play last season.

Senior guard Taylor Roberts is Tennessee State’s top returning scorer; she averaged 11.9 points per game last season and is averaging 17.7 points per game this season while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.

Senior forward Jaden Wrightsell is the Lady Tiger’s top returning rebounder, she averaged 7.9 rebounds per game last season and is averaging 9.3 boards per game so far this season. Wrightsell is also averaging 10.3 points per game through three games this season.

After averaging 4.8 points per game in 2019-20, senior guard Andreanna Wrister has been a surprise for the Lady Tigers this season, averaging 16.3 points per contest. Wrister also leads Tennessee State with 9 assists this season.

 

Series History

This is the 65th meeting in a series that dates back to 1980; Austin Peay State University leads the all-time series, 36-28.

Playing in front of one of the loudest crowds Austin Peay State University would face last season, 3,100 students from the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools were in attendance to watch the Governors rout Tennessee State, 87-55, on February 6th, 2020, at the Gentry Center in Nashville.

In just 13 minutes of action, D’Shara Booker led the Governors with a career-high 15 points and a career-high 9 rebounds, while shooting 64 percent from the floor. Kasey Kidwell went 5-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-2 from three-point range en route to a perfect shooting day from the floor and 13 points.

Ella Sawyer and Kelen Kenol were the final two Governors in double-figures, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively. Sawyer also added a team-high four assists, while Kenol chipped in seven rebounds in the contest.

Ashley Primas led the way for Tennessee State, scoring 10 points in the contest; Breannah McCullah also chipped in 9 points, 5 rebounds, and a pair of assists for the Lady Tigers.

APSU outscored Tennessee State 48-18 in the paint and the Govs bench scored a season-high 50 points to knock off the Lady Tigers.

APSU Notably

Austin Peay State University is set to take the court for the first time since December 19th when they square off with Tennessee State, the 11-day hiatus is the longest break from action the Govs are scheduled to take during OVC play.

In last season’s trip to the Gentry Center, Austin Peay beat Tennessee State, 87-55, marking the APSU Governors biggest win on the road against the Lady Tigers in series history.

The Govs have won five-straight games against Tennessee State – by an average of 21.8 points per game – and the five-game winning streak is David Midlick‘s longest active winning streak against an OVC opponent.

With a win over Tennessee State, the APSU Governors would start the OVC slate with back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

Austin Peay State University ranks second in the OVC and 29th in the country, averaging 8.8 made three-point field goals per game.

Last time out against Murray State, Austin Peay recorded 17 steals and forced the Racers to turn the ball over 26 times in the contest.

Averaging 3.2 steals per game, Brianah Ferby ranks second in the OVC and 30th in the NCAA.

According to an independent study, Austin Peay State University’s Brandi and Brianah Ferby are one of 24 sets of twins sisters playing NCAA Division I women’s basketball on the same team this season. The Ferby sisters are also one of 47 sets of sisters on the same roster in the NCAA this season.

According to “The Pick and Roll” – an Australian Basketball website – Tahanee Bennell and Ella Sawyer are two of 124 Australians playing NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball in 2020-21. The APSU Govs duo of Bennell and Sawyer make Austin Peay one of 30 women’s basketball programs to have multiple Australian players on its roster this season.

APSU Govs in the time of COVID-19

For the 2020-21 season, Austin Peay State University athletics will allow approximately 35 percent capacity in the Dunn Center for home basketball events. There will be no lower bowl seating for fans during the season.

The lower level will be limited to players, coaches, and game-day support staff only. Seats will be assigned to create a buffer between groups to ensure social distancing is maintained. Student seating will be located in sections AA-BB for both men’s and women’s games.

Masks or facial coverings are required to enter the Dunn Center. They must remain in place at all times unless eating or drinking.

 

APSU 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 APSU Governor athletics, as well as the Governor women’s basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayWBB). 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.

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