Clarksville, TN – Three scored in double-figures for the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team – led by 17 points from Sean Durugordon – but it was not enough to hold off a late Eastern Kentucky run and the Governors fell, 74-59, in ASUN Conference action, Saturday, in the Winfield Dunn Center.
Cameron Copeland and Elijah Hutchins-Everett added 14 and 10 points, respectively, to round out the Austin Peay (8-13, 2-6 ASUN) scorers in double-figures. Copeland also grabbed a team-leading six rebounds and Guy Fauntleroy dished out a team-best five assists in just his second start of the season for the Governors.
Devontae Blanton led Eastern Kentucky (13-8, 6-2 ASUN) with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double while also recording a team-leading four assists.
Hutchins-Everett brought the Governors back within one point, 7-6, when he capitalized on a Jalen Ware offensive rebound with a second-chance layup at the 15:33 mark in the opening half. But that was the closest Austin Peay would get in the opening period, with Eastern Kentucky going on a 14-2 run over the next 4:21 of the contest to build a 21-8 lead.
Still trailing by a dozen with less than five minutes remaining in the first half, Fauntleroy knocked down a three-pointer and then got to the rim for a layup on the ensuing possession, bringing the Govs back within seven points, 36-29, with 3:21 left in the opening period. After trading baskets on the next four possessions, Carlos Paez drilled a three-pointer with 1:16 left in the half and the Governors trailed by just four points, 40-36.
But Eastern Kentucky closed the first half on a 4-0 run and took a 44-36 lead into the intermission.
In the first 5:45 of the second half, Austin Peay outscored Eastern Kentucky, 11-6, and trimmed the deficit to three points for the first time after a Copeland triple. After EKU pushed the lead back to six points with 13:07 left to play, the Govs got a blocked shot from Kelechi Okworogwo – who matched his career high with four blocks – and an Okworogwo slam dunk on the other end before Copeland blocked a shot to keep the deficit at just four points, 53-49, at the under-12 media timeout.
EKU was able to rebuild its lead after the media timeout and led, 62-54, with 6:44 left in the contest. But another Copeland three-pointer and a Hutchins-Everett jumper in the paint equaled a 5-0 run that brought the Governors right back within three points, 62-59, with 5:46 left to play. However, the Colonels were able to close the game on a 12-0 run and picked up a 15-point win on the road over the Govs.
The Difference
Turnovers and free throws. Austin Peay State University committed 18 turnovers, Eastern Kentucky gave it up nine times, and the Colonels outscored the Govs 22-5 off turnovers.
The Governors went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line but did not attempt a free throw in the second half of the game. EKU shot 22 free throws – including 14 in the final 20 minutes – and converted 14 times at the stripe.
APSU Notably
Austin Peay State University has dropped back-to-back games to EKU but still leads the all-time series, 64-56.
The APSU Govs also still hold a 38-19 lead over EKU in games played in Clarksville.
Eastern Kentucky entered the game averaging 10.2 made three-pointers on 27.5 attempts per game, the Govs held the Colonels to a season-low two made threes on a season-low 14 attempts.
APSU also led EKU to a season-low 14.3 percent from the three-point range.
Austin Peay State University outscored Eastern Kentucky, 6-5, on the fast break, the Colonels entered the game averaging 14.4 fast break points per game, which led the ASUN and ranked 28th in the NCAA.
After going 6-for-6 at the free throw line, the APSU Govs are shooting 100 percent (13-13) at the stripe in their last two outings.
Dating back to its Jan. 14 game at Lipscomb, the Governors have made 17-straight free-throw attempts.
The Governors shot 44.2 percent from the floor and EKU shot 43.1 percent, it was just the second time this season that APSU has lost when it shoots better from the field than its opponent.
Sean Durugordon scored in double-figures for the team-leading 15th time with 17 points, he has also led the Govs in scoring a team-best nine times this season.
Cameron Copeland posted his 11th game in double-figures with 14 points and Elijah Hutchins-Everett was in double-figures for the 13th time with 10 points.
Copeland also pulled down a team-best six rebounds and led the Govs on the glass for the second time this season and the seventh time in his career.
Guy Fauntleroy made his first start since the season opener at North Carolina State, on November 7th, and led the Govs in assists for the second-straight game and seventh time this season with five helpers.
Freshman Kelechi Okworogwo matched his career high with four blocked shots, with three of the blocks coming in the second half. Before Okworogwo, Corbin Merritt was the last Gov to record four blocks in a game when he did so against Milligan (12/5/21).
Paez dished out a pair of assists in the contest and now has 397 in his career. He is just three away from becoming the fourth Governor to ever record 400-career assists.
Quotably, Coach James
Opening thoughts… “We fought hard. Our guys did some good things. Two things that just stand out, one, when you’re fighting and playing with good teams, you can’t turn the ball over and we had 18 turnovers, you just can’t do that. The next thing is the disparity of free throws, they made more free throws than we took, with just six free throws. I don’t know how that happens, but it happens. We are driving and trying to get those fouls, and we don’t get them, that’s tough. When you don’t score and don’t get the fouls, things don’t happen, because they are a good team. We got to five at one point, and then we don’t get stops and don’t get a foul, then boom, they hit a shot and make a play. We could never really quite get over the hump, but to me, that’s the story of the game, because we did a good job. A team like Eastern Kentucky, we took them out of the three-point shots, it was a great job of limiting them on threes. But points in the paint are obviously a thing that’s been a common problem for us, taking care of the paint, but the turnovers and free throws, I think that’s the story of the game.”
On the Govs’ offense… “We have been working on it, just to play faster. The way we want to play, it’s about the trust of passing the ball up the floor and attacking, and if we don’t have anything, trying to establish the inside and then move the ball, where everyone is touching it. One of the things we always try to preach is to make one more pass, and we can’t have games where we have more turnovers than assists.”
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team hits the road for a pair, starting with a Thursday 6:30pm CT game at Kennesaw State. The Governors then travel to Jacksonville State for a January 28th, 4:00pm contest at Pete Mathews Coliseum before returning home to host Liberty, February 2nd, on Military Appreciation Day.
For news and updates on everything Governors men’s basketball, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsMBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
