Austin Peay (6-9, 0-2 ASUN) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12-3, 2-0 ASUN)
Thursday, January 5th, 2023 | 7:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team hosts Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday, in the first of three-straight ASUN Conference games inside the Winfield Dunn Center. The game begins at 7:00pm CT.
The game is televised online on ESPN+. Updates are also available on the official Austin Peay men’s basketball Twitter and Instagram accounts (@GovsMBB).
Thursday’s game is sponsored by Tennova Healthcare, with special giveaways being distributed to fans throughout the contest.
Game Information
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Barry Gresham (play-by-play), Bob Belvin (analyst)
Live Stats: letsgopeay.com
Twitter Updates: @GovsMBB
Instagram Updates: @GovsMBB
Series Information
Meeting: Second
Overall series record: 1-0 (W1)
Series record at Austin Peay: 0-0
Series record at Florida Gulf Coast: 0-0
Series record at neutral site: 1-0 (W1)
Last meeting: Austin Peay 67, Florida Gulf Coast 57 (Nov. 23, 2007; South Padre Island Invitational; South Padre Island, Texas)
Last Austin Peay home win: N/A
Last Austin Peay road win: N/A
Last Austin Peay neutral site win: Austin Peay 67, Florida Gulf Coast 57 (Nov. 23, 2007; South Padre Island Invitational; South Padre Island, Texas)
Last meeting at Austin Peay: N/A
Last meeting at Florida Gulf Coast: N/A
Last meeting at neutral site: Austin Peay 67, Florida Gulf Coast 57 (Nov. 23, 2007; South Padre Island Invitational; South Padre Island, Texas)
First meeting: Austin Peay 67, Florida Gulf Coast 57 (Nov. 23, 2007; South Padre Island Invitational; South Padre Island, Texas)
First meeting in Dunn Center: N/A
Head Coach Nate James vs. Florida Gulf Coast: 0-0
About the Austin Peay State University Governors
Austin Peay State University is coming off a 90-85 overtime loss, on December 31st, at North Florida in ASUN action, ending a streak of three-straight wins in overtime affairs.
Sean Durugordon tallied career-highs in points (27), field goals made (11), and field goal attempts (19) and tied career-highs in 3-pointers made (4) and rebounds (10) for his second-career double-double. Durugordon shot 4-of-6 from deep and paced three Governors in double figures with his second 20-point game in 48 hours.
Cameron Copeland recorded season-highs in points (17), 3-pointers made (3) and steals (3). He shot 6-of-11 overall and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc to go along with seven rebounds.
Elijah Hutchins-Everett ended with 13 points and was 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Jalen Ware totaled nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. Shon Robinson, playing in his first game since November 17th due to injury, also chipped in nine points and six rebounds.
Carlos Paez dished out a season-high eight assists for the second-straight game. Caleb Stone-Carrawell had four assists.
Austin Peay State University, playing their first overtime game since a 68-64 triumph at SIU Edwardsville on February 24th, 2022, shot 46.3 percent (31-of-67) overall, 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from distance, and 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the free throw line.
The APSU Govs turned 10 Ospreys’ miscues into 13 points. Each team recorded 17 assists on 31 made field goals. Austin Peay State University opened up an 18-11 edge at the 14:47 mark of the first half following a Ware triple.
The Governors’ largest lead of the period came with 56 seconds remaining when a Stone-Carrawell jumper in the paint made the score 40-31. APSU took a 42-36 edge into intermission on the strength of Durugordon’s 13 first-half points. Ware scored nine points and Copeland eight.
The Governors shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field and made 17 first-half field goals for the second-consecutive contest. Austin Peay State University was 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from deep and limited North Florida to just 10 percent (1-of-10) from behind the arc.
A Durugordon triple gave his team its largest lead of the game, 46-36, with 18:16 left in regulation, but the Ospreys responded with a 16-4 spurt and took a 52-50 upper hand at the 11:30 mark.
Following a pair of ties and lead change, APSUmounted a six-point advantage with 4:05 left in regulation when Hutchins-Everett sank a pair of free throws. The Ospreys held a 74-72 advantage with seven seconds left.
Following a timeout, Copeland went the length of the court for a game-tying layup as time expired to send the game into overtime. A North Florida triple with 2:45 to go put the home team ahead for good.
Austin Peay State University and Queens (NC) are the two newcomers to the ASUN in 2022-23. For 59 seasons (1963-2022), the Governors were members of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Thursday begins a three-game homestand for the Governors, who play five of the next six in the Dunn Center and all in middle Tennessee (at Lipscomb January 14th).
Hutchins-Everett (24) and Durugordon (20) each scored at least 20 points December 29th at Queens and were the first set of Austin Peay State University teammates to do so since Copeland (25) and Hutchins-Everett (20) at North Florida on December 11th, 2021.
Against North Florida, Paez passed Trenton Hassell (1998-2001) for fifth on the school’s all-time assists list. Now with 379, Paez is 13 shy of passing Caleb Brown (2007-11) for fourth. Paez passed Greg Franklin (1989-93) for sixth in program history at Murray State on Dec. 16.
Paez’s 3.6 assists per game for his career is tied with Derek Wright (2004-08) for eighth in program history.
Paez’s .889 career free throw percentage (min. 75 made) is the best in program history.
The Governors have not trailed in their previous two home games and have not faced a deficit in their last 97:50 of game action in the Dunn Center.
Hutchins-Everett posted his first double-double this season and seventh of his career against Murray State on Dec. 16 after totaling game-highs in points (17) and rebounds (11).
APSU won its last three home games in December by an average of 28.7 points per contest.
Austin Peay State University’s 26 assists against Kentucky Christian on December 6th were the most since recording that many against Oakland City on November 6th, 2018. The 58 rebounds against Kentucky Christian were the most for the Governors in the Dunn Center since recording 67 against Southern Indiana on December 8th, 1975. The 23 offensive rebounds were the most for Austin Peay State University at home since pulling down 24 versus Eastern Kentucky on February 15th, 2020.
The 25 made free throws versus Lindsey Wilson were the most for the Governors since tallying 27 against Dayton on November 20th, 2021. The 29 free throw attempts were the most for James’ squad since attempting 38 against Southeast Missouri on January 1st, 2022.
Austin Peay State University is the only team in the nation to face the two tallest players in the country this season in Western Kentucky’s Jamarion Sharp (7-foot-5) and Purdue’s Zach Edey (7-foot-4). Including South Florida’s Russel Tchewa (7-foot-0), Bucknell’s Andre Screen (7-foot-1) and Noah Williamson (7-foot-0), Lindsey Wilson’s Lucas Ribeiro (7-foot-0), and Tennessee’s Uros Plavsic (7-foot-1), the Governors have faced seven 7-footers this year.
Drew Calderon posted career-highs in 3-pointers made (6) and attempted (11) in the Governors’ win over Kentucky Christian.
Durugordon has scored in double figures in seven-straight games and eight of the last nine, including four contests of 20 points or more.
Austin Peay State University has recorded 25 dunks in 15 games.
The Governors are 9-1 in their last nine games when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points.
Over the past five seasons, Austin Peay State University is 74-24 when holding a halftime lead.
Since the 2010-11 season, the Governors have compiled a record of 155-84 when scoring 70 points or more.
Austin Peay State University has made at least one 3-pointer in 652-straight games. The last time the Governors did not make a trey was on February 18th, 2002, against Morehead State.
The Governors have won four of their last five games when they make 10 or more 3-pointers.
Austin Peay State University has won five of its last six games, including three straight, when recording 10 or more steals.
APSU leads the ASUN and ranks 37th nationally in free throws percentage (.755), third in the conference and 90th in the country in turnovers forced per game (14.6), and third in the league in 3-point percentage defense (.317).
Durugordon leads the conference and is 77th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (2.8). Hutchins-Everett is third in the league in rebounds per game (6.7).
Austin Peay faced a pair of schools – Murray State and Tennessee – in consecutive games which owned two of the top seven longest active home win streaks in the country. The Governors traveled to Murray State on Dec. 16. The Racers had won 20-straight home games, which was seventh. Austin Peay State University traveled to Tennessee on December 21st. The Volunteers have won 24-consecutive home games, which is fifth. After Tennessee, the Governors played at Queens, which has won 17 straight home games and is tied for eighth.
Ware was named to Greenlight Sunshine Slam All-Tournament Team on Nov. 23. In three games, Ware averaged 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. He shot 60 percent overall (9-of-15) and from distance (3-of-5).
The Governors are represented by nine states – Tennessee (Kamarie Coffey, Codey Bates, Jacob Roberts), North Carolina (Stone-Carrawell, Ware), New York (Durugordon, Kelechi Okworogwo), New Jersey (Elijah Perkins, Rodrique Massenat), Texas (Calderon), Maryland (Guy Fauntleroy), Illinois (Robinson), Alabama (Nathan Moore), and Georgia (Copeland). Paez, from Venezuela, is the team’s lone international player. Austin Peay has had a player from outside of the United States on its roster every season dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
Austin Peay State University is:
- 6-3 when leading with two minutes to play in regulation
- 5-1 when shooting a higher field goal percentage than its opponent
- 6-3 when its opponent shoots under 50 percent
- 5-1 when outrebounding its opponent
- 3-1 when making 10 or more 3-pointers
- 5-1 when making more free throws than its opponent
- 4-1 when making 15 or more free throws
- 4-2 when recording more assists than its opponent
- 3-1 when scoring more points in the paint than its opponent.
Austin Peay State University has won at least three-consecutive games:
- in the Dunn Center
- on Mondays
- outrebounding its opponent
- recording more offensive rebounds than its opponent
- making 15 or more free throws
- scoring more bench points than its opponent
- scoring more second-chance points than its opponent
About the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles are coming off an 84-79 overtime win, Monday, at Central Arkansas. The Green & Blue went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line in overtime and forced Central Arkansas into seven misses from the floor during the extra session.
Caleb Catto converted a four-point play with 13.3 seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 75. Catto’s triple and free throw capped a final 10 minutes of play that saw FGCU take a 10-point lead and surrender it less than five minutes later.
Catto finished with 11 points and a career-high 10 assists for his first career double-double, the first points-assists double-double for an Eagle since Tavian Dunn-Martin’s 19 points and 13 assists against Kennesaw State on February 16th, 2022.
Andre Weir was one rebound shy of a double-double with a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Isaiah Thompson scored 19 points, making four of his team’s 12 3-pointers, and snagged a game-high four steals. Chase Johnston finished with 11 points.
Florida Gulf Coast shot 42.6 percent (29-of-68) overall, 36.4 percent (12-of-33) from 3, and 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from the free throw line. The Eagles got 35 points from their bench compared to just 17 for the Bears. The game had 13 ties and 12 lead changes.
Florida Gulf Coast has won five-straight games overall.
The Eagles have won four-consecutive contests after trailing at the half.
Florida Gulf Coast is 4-2 outside the state of Florida.
The Eagles lead the ASUN in free throws made per game (13.3). They rank fourth in the conference and 31st nationally in 3-pointers per game (9.4) and fifth in the league and 29th in the country in 3-point attempts per game (26.6).
Zach Anderson leads the ASUN in free throws (56), free throw attempts (74), and double-doubles (4). He is 56th nationally in double-doubles, 80th in free throw attempts, and 88th in free throws. Chase Johnson is second in the league and 51st in Division I in steals (29), fourth in the conference, and 42nd nationally in 3-point attempts (105).
Anderson was voted ASUN Player of the Week on Monda for the second time this season and in his career. He helped his team erase an 18-point second-half deficit in its conference opener against Jacksonville on December 31st. Anderson scored 16 of his 18 points against the Dolphins in the second half. He pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with four assists, three blocks, and two steals.
Last Meeting
Austin Peay State University defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 67-57, on November 23rd, 2007, in the South Padre Island Invitational. The game was played at the South Padre Island Convention Center in South Padre Island, Texas.
Austin Peay State University led for much of the first half and held a 33-19 advantage with 4:22 remaining. However, the Eagles closed the half on a 13-5 run to trail only 38-33 at the break.
Florida Gulf Coast scored the second half’s first five points before a Reed jumper gave Austin Peay the lead for good, 40-38, with 17:42 left.
Tip-Ins
Thursday is the first-ever ASUN contest inside the Dunn Center.
Thursday is the first on-campus meeting between Austin Peay State University and Florida Gulf Coast. The only previous matchup was a 67-57 win by the Governors on November 23rd, 2007, in the South Padre Island Invitational in South Padre Island, Texas.
Robinson (F, R-So.) and Florida Gulf Coast’s Franco Miller Jr. (G, R-Sr.) were teammates at Ole Miss during the 2019-20 campaign.
Hutchins-Everett, a four-star recruit from Orange, NJ, who attended Putnam Science Academy (Conn.), originally committed to Penn State and then-head coach Pat Chambers in August 2020 before decommitting that November and signing a National Letter of Intent with the Governors in May 2021. Chambers is in his first season guiding the Eagles.
Tickets
Single-game tickets to any of the Governors’ nine remaining regular-season home contests in their final season in the Dunn Center start as low as $10.00 and can be purchased:
- In-person by visiting the SS&E office inside the Dunn Center
- Online
- By calling 931.221.PEAY (7329)
