Daytona Beach, FL – The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team used a 13-0 run in a 3:48 span late in the second half to pull away from Albany for a 74-59 win, Monday, in the Ocean Center.
The Governors advance to Tuesday’s Ocean Bracket Championship against Bucknell at 11:00am CT in the Greenlight Sunshine Slam, presented by Discount Tire.
Austin Peay (3-2), which has won three-straight games, improved to 3-0 all-time against current members of the America East Conference. The Governors snapped a three-game skid in neutral site contests and have won their last two tilts inside the Ocean Center. Austin Peay has won its last seven games when holding its opponent to 60 points or less.
Elijah Hutchins-Everett, who led five players in double figures, was two points shy of his career-high after finishing with 23 against the Great Danes on 7-of-11 shooting inside the arc and a perfect 9-of-9 clip from the free throw line in the second half. Nineteen of his 23 came after halftime. Hutchins-Everett narrowly missed a double-double performance after pulling down nine rebounds.
Trailing 41-35 with 17:03 left in the game, Austin Peay State University responded with a 7-0 spurt. Six ties and five lead changes ensued over the next 10:08 before the Governors closed the game by scoring 17 of the final 19 points. Marcus Jackson of Albany (2-4) was called for a technical foul at the 4:24 mark. Caleb Stone-Carrawell sank both free throws, putting Austin Peay State University ahead for good.
Hutchins-Everett then sank two free throws with his team in the bonus to make the score 61-57. A Jalen Ware trey from the wing as the shot clock expired was followed by Hutchins-Everett’s third and-one of the half. Hutchins-Everett then found a cutting Ware for a two-handed flush to put the Governors in front 69-57 with 1:56 to go.
Stone-Carrawell tallied 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and a 6-of-9 effort from the stripe. Carlos Paez finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting and a 4-of-4 mark from the line. Ware, who made his first career start, and Cameron Copeland each scored 10 points. Ware netted career-highs in points (10) and field goals made (4) and tied a career-high in field goal attempts (6) to go along with six boards. Copeland shot 5-of-6 in the paint.
In the final 20 minutes, Austin Peay State University shot 94.7 percent (18-of-19) from the free throw line and 50 percent (12-of-24) from the floor.
APSU shot 49 percent (24-of-49) overall and 85.2 percent (23-of-27) from the charity stripe. The 23 made free throws are second most during the Nate James era. Austin Peay was 10-of-15 on layups. APSU won the battle of the boards 31-30, including 9-7 on the offensive glass. Austin Peay State University turned 15 Great Dane turnovers into 17 points and held an edge in bench points, 17-12.
The game featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
