Austin Peay (8-17 | 2-10 ASUN) at North Alabama (14-11 | 6-6 ASUN)
Thursday, February 9th, 2023 | 7:45pm CT
Florence, AL | Flowers Hall
Clarksville, TN – Looking to get back in the win column and help keep its postseason hopes alive, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team squares off with North Alabama for the first time in 60 years in a ASUN Conference showdown, Thursday, at Flowers Hall in Florence, Alabama. The game begins at 7:45pm.
With six games left to play, Austin Peay State University enters the week three games back of the tie for ninth place and the final spots in the ASUN Conference Tournament. At 2-10 in conference play, the Governors are chasing Jacksonville and North Florida – two teams they will play next week – who are tied for ninth place at 5-7 and hold the ASUN’s last two postseason spots.
North Alabama enters Thursday’s contest at 6-6 in the ASUN and tied with Queens and Bellarmine for sixth place in the conference. The Lions are 7-2 at home this season and will host a Governors team that is just 1-9 on the road and 2-10 away from the Dunn Center.
Thursday’s game against North Alabama will be streamed on ESPN+ with Benjamin ray on the call.
About the North Alabama Lions
Picked to finish 14th in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and 12th in the Media Poll, North Alabama is 14-11 overall and tied for sixth in the conference at 6-6.
KenPom.com rates UNA as the 275th-best team in the NCAA and 12th in the ASUN with a -8.22 adjusted efficiency margin.
The Lions have the seventh-best offense in the ASUN per KenPom, scoring 105.3 points per 100 possessions.
Averaging 75.2 points per game, North Alabama has the fifth-best scoring offense in the ASUN and ranks 95th in the NCAA.
The Lions rank third in the ASUN in field-goal percentage (.469) and fourth in three-point percentage (.377) but have made the third-least three-pointers in the league.
UNA averages 12.0 assists per game, ranking last in the ASUN.
Daniel Ortiz ranks 13th in the ASUN, averaging 13.8 points per game.
Ortiz ranks 11th in the NCAA in total threes (77), 15th in three-point percentage (.433), and 21st in threes per game (3.1) — he ranks second in the ASUN in all three categories.
KJ Johnson also ranks 22nd in the conference in scoring (11.9 ppg) and tenth in the league in assists per game (3.4).
Series History and Lasting Meeting
The 29th meeting in a series that dates back to 1935, Austin Peay State University leads the all-time series, 21-7, and is 9-5 all-time against North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.
Thursday is the first meeting between the Governors and Lions in 60 years. In the last meeting, Austin Peay State University beat North Alabama, 89-85, on January 14th, 1963. In the last meeting at Flowers Hall, North Alabama beat APSU, 98-95, on December 12th, 1965.
Prior to dropping its last two games in Flowers Hall in 1961 and 1962, Austin Peay State University won nine-straight games over the Lions in Florence from 1951-60 as a part of a 17-game winning streak in the series that also lasted from 1951-60.
APSU Notably
Austin Peay State University’s defense ranks second in the ASUN Conference in three-point defense (.322), third in steals per game (7.2), and third in turnovers forced per game (14.4) — the Govs rank 76th in the NCAA in turnovers forced.
APSU ranks fourth in the ASUN and 50th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+2.3).
The Governors rank fourth in the ASUN in free throws made per game (12.1) and sixth in free throws attempted per game (16.6).
Austin Peay State University is shooting 73.0 percent from the free-throw line this season, that mark ranks seventh in the ASUN Conference and 125th in the NCAA.
APSU only turns the ball over 12.0 times per contest, which ranks sixth in the ASUN Conference and 119th in the country.
The Govs are averaging 10.0 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks seventh in the conference.
Austin Peay State University has used 13 different starting lineups this season, which is tied for the second most in the NCAA. The Govs have had a different starting five in each of their last seven games.
Austin Peay State University is 0-1 in the State of Alabama this season after falling at Jacksonville State,70-53, on January 28th.
Austin Peay State University is ranked 316th and North Alabama is ranked 256th in the NCAA NET Rankings. The Govs rank 13th in the ASUN in NET and the Royals are the ninth-best team in the ASUN per NET.
The Governors are rated as the 312th-best team in the country on KenPom.com. Austin Peay State University scores 97.7 points per 100 possessions and allows 109.6 points per 100 possessions, which gives it a -11.90 adjusted efficiency margin.
Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale for the 2022-23 APSU men’s basketball season! Fans can purchase their tickets for the final two men’s basketball games in the Winfield Dunn Center online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the Austin Peay State University Ticket Office at 931.221.PEAY (7329).
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 APSUs men’s basketball team, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsMBB). 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, ASUN games, and select road games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the men’s basketball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team wraps up a two-game road trip with a Saturday contest at 3:30pm against Central Arkansas at the Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas.
The Governors then return home for the final two men’s basketball games in the Winfield Dunn Center when they host a Thursday 7:00pm game against Jacksonville and a Saturday 3:30pm game against North Florida.
