Austin Peay at (3-0) at #9 Tennessee (3-0 SEC)
Sunday, November 17th, 2024 | 2:00pm CT / 1:00pm ET
Knoxville, TN | Food City Center | TV: SECN+
Clarksville, TN – Off to its best start to a season since 2000 and looking to pick up its sixth all-time win against the Southeastern Conference, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team faces No. 9 Tennessee in a Sunday 2:00pm CTcontest at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Austin Peay’s (3-0) unbeaten record through the opening three games is tied for the best start to a season in the program’s 94-year history, trailing only a 4-0 start to the 2000-01 campaign. The Governors are coming off a 67-61 victory against Chattanooga at F&M Bank Arena, in which LJ Thomas paced the team in scoring for the second-straight game with 18 points.
The reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Week, Thomas has scored in double figures in each of his first three games as a member of the Red & White. The Plant City, Florida native leads the Govs with 19.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game – both ranking top six in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Austin Peay State University has one of the most efficient offenses in the NCAA through the opening two weeks of the season, with their 9.3 turnovers per game ranking 40th nationally and second in the ASUN.
The APSU Govs also have been led by their defense, whose 67.3 points per game allowed per night and 28.4 defensive three-point percentage rank second in the ASUN.
APSU gained national attention following last Friday’s win at Butler, receiving votes in the Associated Press College Men’s Basketball Poll for the first time since being ranked No. 20, Jan. 1974. APSU also is receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll for the first time since Jan. 2020.
Sunday’s in-state matchup against Tennessee is the 11th in program history and just two games removed from APSU’s 74-70 win in Knoxville (12/10/11). Josh Terry led all scorers with 20 points in the 2011 win, as the Govs made 72.7% of their second-half shots to claim the victory on Rocky Top.
Sunday’s game will be streamed on SECN+ and ESPN+ with Zack Nelson and Steve Hamer on the call.
From the Jump
Austin Peay State University and Tennessee met on the hardwood for the first time since the 2022-23 season, when the Volunteers defeated the Governors 86-44 (12/21/22).
Austin Peay State University’s most recent of five all-time wins against the SEC came in a 74-70 victory against Tennessee (12/10/11).
APSU is 5-65 all-time against current members of the SEC, with its two wins against Vanderbilt being its most against a league affiliate.
The governors have been on their best start to a season since beginning the 2000-01 campaign 4-0, which is the longest unbeaten mark to start a season in program history.
Austin Peay State University is coming off a 67-61 victory against Chattanooga last time out, in which LJ Thomas led the Govs in scoring for the second-straight game with 18 points.
Thomas leads APSU in points (59), rebounds (20), assists (11), made and attempted field goals (24-55), and steals (5).
The Governors are 0-1 all-time against ranked opponents under head coach Corey Gipson after falling to No. 18 Memphis last season (12/30/23).
The APSU Govs have out-shot opponents in each game this season and are 17-2 in such games under Gipson.
APSU also has led at the half in all three games and is 14-4 over the last two seasons when leading through 20 minutes.
A pair of Preseason All-ASUN selections, Sai Witt and Isaac Haney are second and third on the team in scoring with 12.0 and 11.7 points per game, respectively.
Thomas, Witt, Haney, and Quan Lax have started all three games for Austin Peay State University this season, while Hansel Enmanuel made the starting lineup in each of APSU’s last two contests.
Enmanuel leads APSU with an 85.7 field-goal percentage on seven attempts. He also paces the Govs with seven offensive rebounds.
About the Tennessee Volunteers
The reigning SEC Regular-Season Champions, Tennessee, is off to a 3-0 start for the second-straight season and the sixth time under head coach Rick Barnes.
The Volunteers are 205-101 in 10 seasons under Barnes.
Tennessee is led in scoring by North Florida transfer Chaz Lanier, who is averaging 16.7 points per game on a team-best 10 made three-pointers.
Lanier is 35th in the NCAA and third in the SEC with a 58.5 three-point percentage.
Lanier averaged 26.0 points per game in a pair of losses to Austin Peay last season.
Lanier is one of four transfer additions for the Volunteers this season.
A First Team Preseason All-SEC selection, Zakai Zeigler is second on the team with 14.3 points per game, and leads UT with 23 assists and 10 free throws.
Zeigler’s 23 assists and 7.7 assists per game lead the SEC.
Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks eighth in the NCAA with a 56.0 field-goal percentage this season.
The Volunteers lead the SEC and rank 22nd in the NCAA with a 42.9 three-point percentage.
Follow the APSU Govs
For news and updates on all things Governors’ basketball, follow the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB) and Facebook (Austin Peay Men’s Basketball) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
Following their matchup against nationally-ranked Tennessee, the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team heads to the Bluegrass State for a Wednesday 6:00pm matchup with longtime Ohio Valley Conference foe Morehead State in Morehead, Kentucky. The game will be live-streamed on ESPN+.
