Clarksville, TN – Redshirt junior guard Anton Brookshire scored a career-high 28 points with six three-pointers; however, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team dropped a 72-68 decision to West Georgia in Atlantic Sun Conference action Thursday on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Brookshire, who scored a career-high 25 points exactly a week ago in a win against North Florida, led the game with 28 points. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native also set career marks in made field goals (10), attempted (15), and made three-pointers (6), while tying his personal best with six rebounds as well.
Brookshire was followed in scoring by LJ Thomas’ 14 points. Akili Evans led APSU with a career-best seven rebounds, while JaVar Daniel matched his career’s best mark with three blocks.
Playing through its defense, West Georgia (3-13, 1-2 ASUN) led 15-6 in through the opening eight minutes while holding Austin Peay (6-10, 1-2 ASUN) to 1-for-11 from the field and 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. Thomas scored APSU’s first six points of the ballgame, until a pair of Tate McCubbin free throws and a layup by Quan Lax cut the Wolves’ lead to 15-10 midway through the period.
Brookshire made three of APSU’s next four field goals – all from three-point range – to bring the Governors within a point at 22-21.
After scoring 24 of its first 26 points in the paint, West Georgia connected on back-to-back threes in the final 90 seconds of the opening half, before Isaac Haney capped the period off with a four-point play at the first half’s buzzer to make it 34-30 Wolves at the break.
Thomas opened the second half with a 2-for-2 trip at the line, but it was answered by an 18-3 run, as the Wolves connected on their first seven attempts from the field, while holding the Govs to five-straight misses.
A Brookshire three-pointer ended UWG’s scoring run and sparked a 18-6 APSU run, as it trimmed a 17-point deficit to seven points at 60-53 with 7:47 remaining in regulation.
After exchanging the game’s next four points, Brookshire answered a UWG split trip at the line with a three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining to make it 70-68 in favor of the Wolves. A pair of UWG free throws after an intentional foul was the final points of the afternoon after a pair APSU missed layup was corralled by UWG, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, and a last-second Govs’ three-pointer missed its mark.
The Difference
The paint. West Georgia outscored the Governors 44-24 in the painted area, including 24-2 in the first half.
Box Score Bullets
Austin Peay State University fell to 0-1 against West Georgia in its first game against the Atlantic Sun Conference’s newest member.
The Governors fell to 3-2 at home this season and to 17-5 all-time at F&M Bank Arena.
Anton Brookshire’s career-high 28 points are the second-most points by a Governor this season, trailing only LJ Thomas’ 29 points at Butler, November 8th.
Anton Brookshire’s career-best six three-pointers also are the most by a Governor this season.
Tekao Carpenter earned his first start as a Governor.
The Governors’ starting five of Quan Lax, Anton Brookshire, Tekao Carpenter, LJ Thomas, and Tate McCubbin is its 14th unique starting five of the season and 13th straight.
With LJ Thomas’ three-pointer with 17:04 remaining in the first half, the Governors extended their program-record streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 717 – a stretch that began February 23rd, 2002.
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.
