Deland, FL – With just eight players available, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s basketball team battled for 40 minutes but was unable to hold off a hot-shooting Stetson team and fell, 76-51, in ASUN Conference play, Wednesday, at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center.
Shon Robinson led Austin Peay (9-21, 3-14 ASUN) in scoring for the second-straight game with 12 points, he also led the Govs with four rebounds and four assists. Guy Fauntleroy – who went the distance, playing all 40 minutes – scored 11 points and grabbed five steals for the second-straight game, while Jalen Ware rounded out the double-figures scorers with 10 points.
Sophomore Jacob Roberts – who played a career-high 21:14 – also led the Govs on the glass for the first time in his career with a career-high four rebounds.
Luke Brown led Stetson (17-11, 12-5 ASUN) with 15 points while the duo of Josh Smith and Sam Peek added 14 and 13 points, respectively. Wheza Panzo rounded out the Hatters in double-figures, scoring 11 points in the contest.
After a Ware three-pointer and back-to-back Elijah Hutchins-Everett buckets, Fauntleroy gave the Governors a three-point lead, 10-7, when he buried a three-pointer at the 15:14 mark in the opening period.
With 13:28 left in the first half, the APSU Govs pushed the lead back to three points, 12-9, when Robinson converted a pair of free throws, but Stetson responded with a 10-2 run and built a lead that they would not surrender for the rest of the contest.
The Hatters pushed the lead to 16 points, 32-16, after a Panzo three with 4:19 left in the period before back-to-back second-chance buckets from Ware brought the Governors back within a dozen points, 32-20 with 1:04 left to play. However, Stetson scored four-straight points to close the frame and led 36-20 at the intermission.
Austin Peay State University opened the second half on an 8-0 run that was highlighted by five points from Robinson and a three-pointer for Ware to bring the deficit to eight points, 36-28, with 17:44 left in the contest.
Stetson built their biggest lead of the game at 31 points with 1:15 remaining, but Fauntleroy and Roberts connected from three-point range on the last two possessions of the game to bring the Governors back within 25 points, 76-51 when the final buzzer sounded.
The Difference
Stetson shot 49.0 percent (25-51) from the floor. The Hatters also went 16-for-17 from the free-throw line while the Govs went just 5-for-10 at the charity stripe.
APSU Notably
Shon Robinson led Austin Peay State University in scoring for the second-straight game and fourth time this season with 12 points – it was his ninth time scoring in double-figures.
Guy Fauntleroy scored in double-figures for the third-straight contest and the seventh time this season with 11 points.
Jalen Ware scored 10 points; it was the fifth time this season he has scored in double-figures.
Robinson led the APSU Govs in rebounding for the second time this season and in assists for the fourth time this season with four boards and four assists.
Jacob Roberts grabbed a career-high four rebounds and led the Governors on the glass for the first time in his career.
Fauntleroy matched his career-high with five steals for the second-consecutive game, it is the third time this season he has recorded a five-steal game.
Rodrique Massenat recorded a career-high two blocked shots.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team wraps up the 2022-23 season when it plays a Friday 6:00pm rematch with Florida Gulf Coast at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
