Austin Peay (4-7) at Vanderbilt (10-1)
Saturday, December 21st, 2024 | 2:00pm CT
Nashville, TN | Memorial Gymnasium
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team takes the short drive down Interstate 24 for its penultimate nonconference game of the regular season in a Saturday 2:00pm matchup with Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Austin Peay (4-7) looks to snap a five-game losing streak and earn its sixth all-time win against the Southeastern Conference when it faces a red-hot Vanderbilt (10-1) team that already has surpassed its win total from a season ago.
The Governors have been led in scoring each of the last two games by Sai Witt, who tallied a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double against Southern Illinois in his return to the court after five games out, and posted 21 points and four rebounds in APSU’s most-recent outing at Ohio, Wednesday.
Witt’s two 20-point performances this season are tied with Isaac Haney for the second-most on the team and trail only LJ Thomas’ four this season.
Despite missing each of the last two contests, Thomas has paced Austin Peay State University in scoring six times through his nine appearances this season and leads the team – and the Atlantic Sun Conference – with 18.1 points per game.
Austin Peay State University head coach Corey Gipson has utilized nine different starting lineups this season, with redshirt junior Quan Lax being the lone Gov to appear in each starting unit. A 2024 NAIA First Team All-American and National Champion at Freed-Hardeman last season, Lax is averaging 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 30.5 minutes per game.
The APSU Govs’ game against the Commodores is the 20th all-time meeting between the two Volunteer State foes and the first since a 77-51 Vanderbilt win during the 2021-22 season (12/18/21). The Governors have two all-time wins against Vanderbilt, both coming in the 1939-40 season, but the Commodores have won 15-straight contests since the series was renewed in 1981.
Saturday’s game will be streamed live on SECN+ with Andrew Allegretta and Shan Foster on the call.
From the Jump
Austin Peay State University and Vanderbilt meet for the 20th time in program history and first since December 18th, 2021.
Austin Peay State University is 2-17 all-time against Vanderbilt and 5-66 against the SEC.
APSU’s most recent win against a current member of the SEC game in a 74-70 victory against Tennessee (12/10/11.
APSU looks to snap a five-game losing streak in its penultimate nonconference game of the regular season.
The Governors are 2-2 against teams from the State of Tennessee this season, with wins against Union and Chattanooga, and losses at East Tennessee State and #9 Tennessee.
APSU leads the ASUN in free throws made (13.2) and attempted (18.8) per game.
The Governors’ 70.9 points per game allowed are third in the ASUN.
LJ Thomas leads the ASUN with 18.1 points per game and is second with 34:44 minutes per game.
Austin Peay State University is 4-2 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponent this season and 0-5 otherwise.
Austin Peay State University is 3-0 this season and 17-6 under Gipson when shooting at least 35% from three-point range.
Sai Witt is averaging 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game over the last two games since returning after five games.
About the Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt is 10-1 under first-year head coach, Mark Byington.
The Commodores’ 10 wins already surpasses the win total from last season under previous head coach, Jerry Stackhouse.
A junior transfer from North Texas, Jason Edwards leads the SEC with 211 points this season and is second in the league with 19.2 points per game, ranking 48th and 33rd in the NCAA, respectively.
Edwards has scored in double figures each game this season and had a season-high 30 points in the Commodores’ 83-74 win at TCU on December 8th.
Devin McGlockton is fifth in the SEC and 80th in the NCAA with 88 rebounds, while pacing the SEC and ranking 25th nationally with 3.45 offensive rebounds per game.
Tyler Tanner is averaging 9.8 points per game and paces the SEC with 28 steals and 2.55 steals per game, which rank 16th and 13th in the NCAA, respectively.
The Commodores are 21st in the NCAA with 85.5 points per game and have a +17.5 scoring margin.
Vanderbilt is shooting 48.5% from the field while making 8.4 three-pointers per game.
The Commodores lead the SEC with 10.6 steals per game and are second in the league with a +7.2 turnover margin.
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
After a break for Christmas, the Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team’s next return to the court for a December 29th 4:00pm game against Brescia at F&M Bank Arena in the nonconference finale. Following the game against the Bearcats, APSU begins ASUN Conference play in the Sunshine State against North Florida on January, 2nd in Jacksonville, Florida, which begins at 1:00pm.
