Austin Peay (17-6 | 10-3 OVC) at UT Martin (9-15 | 6-7 OVC)
Monday, February 14th, 2022 | 6:00pm CT
Martin, TN | Elam Center
Clarksville, TN – Looking for its fifth-straight win, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team takes the court for the third time in five days when it travels to UT Martin for a 6:00pm, Ohio Valley Conference showdown, Monday, on Valentine’s Day at the Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee.
In the midst of playing five games in ten days, Austin Peay State University is on a four-game winning streak and sits at 10-3 in OVC play. The third-place Govs are a half-game behind second-place Tennessee Tech and are just a game-and-half behind league-leading Belmont with five regular-season games to play.
Monday’s game was originally scheduled for January 20th but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. The Skyhawks enter the rescheduled game on a two-game winning streak after going on the road to beat SIU Edwardsville, 67-62, and Eastern Illinois, 58-45.
Monday’s game at UT Martin will be streamed on ESPN+. Monday’s contest against UT Martin will not be broadcast on the Governors Sports Network because it will be airing the rescheduled Austin Peay men’s basketball game against Eastern Illinois that tips off at 5 p.m. in the Winfield Dunn Center.
About the UT Martin Skyhawks
Coming off an OVC Regular Season Championship, UT Martin was picked to finish fourth in the 2021-22 OVC Preseason Poll. At 9-15 overall and 6-7 in conference play, the Skyhawks currently sit in sixth place in the OVC standings and have already secured their spot in the OVC Tournament.
This season, 13th-year head coach Kevin McMillan has had to replace his top-three scorers from a season ago, with Chelsey Perry (22.9 ppg) being drafted by the Indiana Fever in the 2021 WBNA Draft, Dasia Young (12.7 ppg) transferring to Utah, and Maddie Waldrop (10.1 ppg) graduating.
Junior guard Paige Pipkin has stepped up to lead the Skyhawks in scoring this season, averaging a team-high 13.1 points per game, which ranks ninth in the OVC. Pipkin also ranks eighth in the league in three-pointers made per game (1.5) and 14th in three-point percentage (.337).
In the OVC opener against Austin Peay, Pipkin scored a career-high 33 points, which is the best single-game scoring performance in the conference this season. Pipkin went 8-for-9 at the free-throw line against the Govs and is shooting 86.2 percent at the charity stripe this season, which ranks second in the OVC and 31st in the NCAA.
Freshman Shae Littleford is the Skyhawks’ second-leading scorer, averaging 10.6 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the OVC. Robert Morris graduate transfer Holly Forbes is UT Martin’s leading rebounder this season, averaging 5.8 rebounds, which ranks eighth in the OVC. Forbes also ranks 29th in the conference in scoring (9.1 ppg) and eighth in steals (1.8 spg).
UT Martin has three players that rank in the top four in the OVC in minutes played, with Littleford (35.1 mpg), Pipkin (33.8 mpg), and Kyannah Grant (33.8 mpg) ranking second, third, and fourth, respectively. Forbes also averaging 30.7 minutes per game, which ranks 14th in the OVC
Series History and Lasting Meeting
The 88th meeting in a series that dates back to 1976, Austin Peay State University trails in the all-time series, 43-44, and has lost the last eight matchups. The Skyhawks also lead the series, 22-20, in Martin, Tennessee, and the Governors are looking to snap a 12-game losing streak at UT Martin and win their first game in the Elam Center since a 71-55 victory on January 8th, 2009.
Austin Peay State University trailed by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter and was able to cut the deficit to five with just over a minute remaining in the contest, but the Govs’ comeback effort ran out of steam and they fell to UT Martin, 70-62, in the OVC opener on December 30th, 2021, in Clarksville.
Three Governors scored in double-figures, led by 14 points from Yamia Johnson. Kasey Kidwell and Shay-Lee Kirby added 12 and 11 points, respectively, with Kidwell recording a career-high four steals and a season-high four assists.
Kirby also grabbed a career-high eight rebounds to lead Austin Peay on the glass. Nina De Leon Negron led the Govs with five assists in the contest.
Paige Pipkin scored a career-high 33 points to lift UT Martin to the win in the Dunn Center. Pipkin went 8-for-9 at the charity stripe and drilled a trio of three-pointers.
Shae Littleford added 16 points for the Skyhawks and played all 40 minutes of the contest.
Littleford also recorded four steals, four rebounds, and three assists in the game. Kyannah Grant led UT Martin with five assists.
APSU Notably
With two weeks left in the regular season, the OVC Tournament field is set and Austin Peay has already guaranteed that it can be no worse than the No. 7 seed at the conference tournament in Evansville.
APSU has secured its third-straight winning season and its fifth-straight season without a losing record.
Austin Peay State University is 20-22 all-time against the Skyhawks in Martin, Tennessee, and is looking to snap a 12-game losing streak at UT Martin and win its first game in the Elam Center since a 71-55 victory on Jan. 8, 2009.
APSU is 4-7 all-time on Valentine’s Day and beat Morehead State, 84-75, the last time it played on Valentine’s Day in 2019.
Austin Peay State University is shooting 46.2 percent from the floor — which ranks ninth in the NCAA and second in the OVC. The Govs have not shot over 45 percent from the floor in a season since the 2002-03 team set the single-season program record by shooting 47.4 percent.
APSU ranks third in the OVC in scoring defense (58.3 ppg), third in field-goal percentage defense (.384), and second in three-point percentage defense (.284) — the Govs are the only team in the league that ranks in the top three in all three statistics.
For the first time in program history, Austin Peay State University has held back-to-back opponents under 40 points, with Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State scoring 38 and 37 points, respectively, in its last two contests.
The APSU Govs are shooting 36.7 percent from three-point range, which ranks 16th in the NCAA and leads the OVC, and are averaging 6.1 made three-pointers per game, which ranks second in the OVC.
Karle Pace and Yamia Johnson are averaging 15.6 and 15.5 points per game, respectively, and rank second and fourth in the OVC in scoring. They are the only teammates in the top five in the league in scoring.
Pace is shooting 45.0 percent from three-point range, which ranks tenth in the NCAA and leads the OVC.
Tickets
Season and single-game tickets are on sale for the 2021-22 basketball season. Fans can purchase or renew their season tickets online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the Austin Peay State University Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329). More information on season and single-game tickets can also be found online.
The City Forum Family 4 Pack is now on sale! For just $22.00, receive four tickets to both a men’s and women’s basketball game along with four attraction passes at The City Forum by using the promo code “FAM4” at checkout online or by contacting the Austin Peay State University Ticket Office.
APSU Govs Online
For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay State University Athletics, check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Facebook. To keep up with the APSU women’s basketball team, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsWBB). Live stats will be available during all home games and select road games at PeayStats.com.
In addition, all Austin Peay State University home games, OVC games, and select road games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the women’s basketball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.
Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team’s stretch of five games in ten days rolls on when it travels to Murray State for a Wednesday contest at the CFSB Center that begins at 5:00pm in Calloway County, Kentucky. Then it’s the home finale and Senior Day for the Governors when they host a Saturday game against Tennessee Tech in the Dunn Center that starts at 1:30pm.
Finally. APSU wraps up the season with a two-game road trip where they will play a February 24th game at SIU Edwardsville with a start time of 5:30pm and a February 26th game at Eastern Illinois that tips off at 1:00pm.
