Austin Peay (8-19 | 2-12 ASUN) vs. Jacksonville (12-13 | 5-9 ASUN)
Thursday, February 16th, 2023 | 7:00pm
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team will play its penultimate game in the Winfield Dunn Center when it hosts a ASUN Conference showdown against Jacksonville, Thursday, on African American Cultural Center and Black History Night. The game starts at 7:00pm
Austin Peay State University enters Thursday’s game at 2-12 in conference play and four spots back of a three-way tie for eighth place and the final three spots in the ASUN Conference Tournament. In their last four games of the season, the Governors will take on three teams – Jacksonville, North Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast – that they are chasing for a postseason spot.
Jacksonville is 5-9 in ASUN action and is in 11th place in the conference standings, just one game back of the three-way tie for eighth place and the final three postseason spots.
Thursday’s game is sponsored by Fat Shack, who will be giving away fried Oreos next to Section A in the Dunn Center.
Thursday’s game against Jacksonville will be streamed on ESPN+ with Barry Gresham and Aaron King on the call.
About the Jacksonville Dolphins
KenPom.com rates the Jacksonville Dolphins as the 232nd-best team in the NCAA and eighth in the ASUN Conference with a -5.49 adjusted efficiency margin.
Per KenPom, the Dolphins have the 13th-best offense in the ASUN, scoring just 100.3 points per 100 possessions. However, Jacksonville has the fifth-best defense in the conference, holding teams to just 105.8 points per 100 possessions.
JU plays at the slowest tempo in the NCAA per KenPom, with an adjusted tempo rating of 61.9 possessions per 40 minutes.
Jacksonville ranks second in the ASUN Conference in scoring defense (63.2 ppg) and leads the conference in field-goal percentage defense (.407) and three-point percentage defense (.305).
Kevin Nolan leads Jacksonville and ranks 17th in the ASUN in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game.
Nolan also ranks second in the conference in assists (4.4 apg) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.79).
Osayi Osifo leads the Dolphins and ranks 18th in the ASUN in rebounding (5.8 rpg).
Jordan Davis averages 1.4 steals per game, which ranks seventh in the ASUN.
Series History and Lasting Meeting
The third meeting – and first in Clarksville, Tennessee – in a series that dates back to 1973 and is tied, 1-1.
Jacksonville won the last meeting, 93-70, on January 5th, 1974, in Jacksonville, Florida – it was the first regular-season game in series history.
Austin Peay State University won the first meeting in series history, 77-75, in the Mideast Region of the 1973 NCAA Division I Tournament in Dayton, Ohio on March 10th – the win and tournament appearance were later vacated for the Governors.
APSU Notably
Austin Peay State University’s defense ranks second in the ASUN Conference in three-point defense (.319), third in steals per game (7.1), and third in turnovers forced per game (14.0) — the Govs rank 89th in the NCAA in turnovers forced.
The Governors rank fourth in the ASUN and 52nd in the NCAA in turnover margin (+2.0).
The APSU Govs rank fourth in the ASUN in free throws made per game (12.2) and sixth in free throws attempted per game (16.6).
Austin Peay State University is shooting 73.3 percent from the free-throw line this season, that mark ranks seventh in the ASUN Conference and 111th in the NCAA.
Austin Peay State University only turns the ball over 12.0 times per contest, which ranks sixth in the ASUN Conference and 112th in the country.
The APSU Govs are averaging 10.2 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the conference.
Austin Peay State University has used 14 different starting lineups this season, which is tied for the third most in the NCAA. The Govs have used the same starting five in back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 12 and 14 against Lipscomb.
The Governors are rated as the 319th-best team in the country on KenPom.com. Austin Peay State University scores 96.9 points per 100 possessions and allows 109.8 points per 100 possessions, which gives it a -12.88 adjusted efficiency margin.
Austin Peay State University is ranked 322nd and Jacksonville is ranked 234th in the NCAA NET Rankings.
The Governors and Dolphins rank 14th and eighth in the ASUN, respectively, per NET.
Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale for the 2022-23 APSU men’s basketball season! Fans can purchase their tickets for the final 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 Athletics, check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Facebook. To keep up with the APSU 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 plays its final game in the Winfield Dunn Center when it takes on North Florida on Saturday at 3:00pm.
After The Last Waltz in the Dunn Center, the APSU Govs close the regular season with a two-game road in the Sunshine State when they play at Stetson on February 22nd, and Florida Gulf Coast on February 24th.
