Austin Peay (16-11 | 12-6 ASUN) vs. Eastern Kentucky (18-13 | 11-7 ASUN)
Sunday, March 5th , 2023 | 5:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Dunn Center | Radio: WAPX 91.9 FM
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team hosts long-time rival Eastern Kentucky in its inaugural ASUN Conference Women’s Basketball Championship game on Sunday, March 5th in the Winfield Dunn Center. The game begins at 3:00pm.
Austin Peay State University enters the postseason as the No. 4 seed after going 16-11 and 12-6 in ASUN Conference play, while the fifth-seeded Colonels garner an 18-13, 11-7 ASUN record.
Sunday is the 86th all-time meeting between the Governors and Colonels and the sixth in the postseason. Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series, 47-38, but the APSU Govs have won seven-straight games and are 4-1 all-time against the Colonels in the postseason.
The Governors defeated Eastern Kentucky 82-69, on February 4th, in Richmond, Kentucky. The 82 points are the most by the Govs under second-year head coach Brittany Young.
A season-high six APSU Govs scored in double-figures in last month’s win against the Colonels, with Mariah Adams leading the way with 16 points and four assists in the win.
Austin Peay had a trio of Govs earn postseason recognition, Friday, with Shamarre Hale named the Unanimous AUSN Sixth Player of the Year and a Second Team All-Conference selection after leading the Govs with 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Adams received Third Team All-Conference recognition after averaging 10.2 points per game and tallying a team-high 115 assists. Anala Nelson earned All-Freshman Team honors, becoming the first to receive the award since Ashley Haynes and Kara Bergeron in 2003.
Broadcast Information
Radio: WAPX 91.9 FM – Jahmar Perkins (PxP) / Zach Pugh (Color)
All Austin Peay women’s basketball games are aired on WAPX 91.9 FM. Pregame begins 15 minutes before tip and can be heard online at LetsGoPeay.com.
TV: ESPN+ — Alex Gould (PxP) / Barry Gresham (Color)
All home and ASUN Conference games are live-streamed on ESPN+.
From The Jump
Austin Peay State University hosts Eastern Kentucky in its first ASUN Conference Championship game.
The Governors enter the postseason as the No. 4 seed, while Eastern Kentucky is the No. 5 seed.
Head women’s basketball coach Brittany Young is the third coach in program history to secure a conference tournament seed in each of their first two seasons.
Young is the first coach to lead the APSU Govs to a top-four seed in each of their first two seasons.
Shamarre Hale highlighted Austin Peay State University’s all-conference honors, as the Chicago native was named the Unanimous ASUN Sixth Player of the Year and a Second Team All-Conference selection.
Hale leads the APSU Govs with 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Her 68.9 field-goal percentage also is on pace to break the program record set by APSU alumna D’Shara Booker last season.
Mariah Adams earned ASUN Third Team All-Conference honors on Friday after leading the Govs with 115 assists. Her 4.6 assists per game are fourth in the ASUN and 50th in Division I this season.
Anala Nelson became the first Gov since Ashley Haynes and Kara Bergeron to receive All-Freshman Team honors. The Columbia, South Carolina native averaged 5.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game throughout her rookie campaign.
The Governors are 38-47 all-time against Eastern Kentucky, but have won seven-straight games, tied for the longest winning streak by APSU in the 45-year rivalry.
Austin Peay State University is 4-1 all-time against the Colonels in the postseason and last defeated them in a conference tournament in the 2004 OVC Championship finals, 65-51.
APSU has won 24 straight games, and 28 of its last 29, when holding opponents to under 50 points. It also has won 25-straight, and 26 of its last 28 games when scoring at least 70 points.
Three Govs – Whitney Hanley (38, 2012), Brooke Armistead (32, 2002) and Gerlonda Hardin (30, 2002) – have scored 30 points in a conference tournament game in program history. Ashley Haynes holds the record for the most rebounds in a tournament game with 22 in 2206.
About the Eastern Kentucky Colonels
2022-23 Record: 18-13 (11-7 ASUN)
Quick recap: The Eastern Kentucky Colonels finished fifth in the ASUN regular season after winning five of their last six games of the season, with the only loss coming against No. 3 Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia.
What you need to know about them: They have Antwainette Walker and Antwainette Walker is good at basketball. A First Team All-Conference selection and the ASUN Newcomer of the Year, Walker leads the ASUN in points (612), field goals (246), free throws (143), points per game (21.1) and steals (68). Walker’s 612 points are 10th in Division I, while her 246 field goals are sixth in the nation.
2021-22 Record: 15-16 (7-9 ASUN)
2021-22 Season Result: The Colonels’ 2021-22 season came to an end in the ASUN Conference quarterfinals when they fell to the East Division’s No. 2 seed, Liberty, 77-57.
Notable Returner: Antwainette Walker. Walker is averaging 21.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game. The Marquette transfer is averaging 50.1 percent from the floor and 77.9 percent from the charity stripe.
Notable Newcomer: Redshirt sophomore Alice Recanati leads all returning players with 9.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
Series History (since 1978): 47-38, EKU. 21-19 APSU in Clarksville. Austin Peay has won seven-straight and five-straight in Clarksville.
Last Meeting: A season-high six Governors scored in double-figures, with all six also shooting 50 percent or better from the floor in the Govs’ 82-69 ASUN Conference victory against Eastern Kentucky, February 4th, at Baptist Health Arena.
Follow The APSU
For news and updates throughout the Governors’ inaugural season as a member of the ASUN Conference, follow the women’s basketball team on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsWBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
Tickets
Purchase your tickets to the Austin Peay State University women’s basketball’s 3:00pm, ASUN Championship quarterfinals matchup against Eastern Kentucky HERE.
Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team’s next opponent will not be determined until after all of Sunday’s quarterfinal games have been played. If No. 1 Florida Gulf Coast, No. 2 Liberty and No. 3 Lipscomb all win their first-round games, the APSU Govs would travel to FGCU for the semifinals. If Lipscomb drops their game against North Alabama, Austin Peay State University would travel to Lynchburg, Virginia to play Liberty.
