Clarksville, TN – Led by Sai Witt’s double-double, four Governors scored in double figures to help lead the Austin Peay State University’s basketball team to an 86-77 overtime victory against Bellarmine in Atlantic Sun Conference play, Thursday, on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Witt had a season-high 12 rebounds – the most by a Governor this season – while also matching his season’s best mark with 25 points. The performance marked the big man’s second-straight and third overall double-double of the season.
Anton Brookshire followed Witt in the scoring column with 21 points – his third 20-points performance of ASUN play and ninth game scoring in double figures. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native also paced the team in assists for the fifth-straight game with five.
Isaac Haney and LJ Thomas rounded out the Govs double-figure scoring performances with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
Witt scored the first point of the game from the charity stripe and it was answered by a Bellarmine (3-19, 0-9 ASUN) layup to bring up the first of 10 lead changes in the 45-minute affair.
After a Brookshire three-pointer and Witt layup on the Govs second and third scoring possessions, Haney scored 10-straight Austin Peay (9-13, 4-5 ASUN) points to help the Govs build a 16-9 advantage with less than nine minutes in.
After a pair of Haney threes and Brookshire’s second triple of the afternoon, Me’Kell Burries – who entered the game with just three field goals on nine attempts all season – scored back-to-back baskets to extend the Govs lead to 23-14.
The Knights cut their deficit to as few as six points with 2:15 remaining in the opening period, but APSU outscored Bellarmine 10-5 and ended the half with a Haney right-wing three-pointer to take a 42-31 lead into the break.
Haney led all scorers with 16 points and four three-pointers at the half, as the Govs shot 46.9% from the field in the opening 20 minutes of regulation.
Leading 59-46 heading into the under-12 media timeout, Bellarmine used a five-minute, 14-0 run to take its first lead since the game’s first field goal. A pair of free throws by Tate McCubbin and a split trip by Haney regained the advantage for the Governors, but the Knights also made three-straight points from the line to again spark a lead change.
After a pair of makes by Brookshire, LJ Thomas ended an over nine-minute field-goal drought for the APSU Govs to five them a 66-65 lead with with 2:47 to play and end a 1-of-13 shooting performance in a 10-minute span.
After Witt tied the game at 69 with 1:35 to play in the second half, the Knights’ Billy Smith made a jumper in the BU a two-point lead with under 10 seconds remaining. Quan Lax then drove the length of the court and muscled in for a contested layup with under five seconds remaining to force overtime.
Another day, another overtime period for APSU.
From there, the Knights were only able to cut their deficit to as few as three points, as APSU went 6-for-7 from the line in the game’s finally 67 seconds to secure the victory.
And scene.
The Difference
Kind of obvious, but overtime. Austin Peay State University went an efficient 4-fo-5 with a one three-pointer in the five-minute period. Witt scored six points, while Brookshire scored five, to help the Govs outscore 15-6 in OT.
Box Score Bullets
Austin Peay State University improved to 4-5 in ASUN Conference play and is currently tied for eighth in the league standings with North Florida – who it defeated in the ASUN opener on January 2nd.
APSU improved to 19-6 all-time in F&M Bank Arena.
The Governors are 6-0 in overtime games in F&M Bank Arena and 45-59 all-time in overtime contests.
Head coach Corey Gipson improved to 6-1 in overtime at Austin Peay State University and 8-1 in the extra period in his head coaching career.
Sai Witt led the APSU Govs in scoring for the third time this season and the first time since scoring 21 points at Ohio on December 18th.
Witt’s 25 points are tied for his most this season and are tied for the fifth-most b a Gov this season.
Witt’s 12 rebounds are the most by an Austin Peay State University Gov this season, surpassing his and JaVar Daniel’s 11-rebound games against North Alabama (1/25) and Morehead State (11/20).
With his 21 points, Anton Brookshire continues to lead the Govs in scoring through ASUN play, and is currently averaging 17.0 points per game in nine league matches.
Brookshire’s five assists marked his fifth-straight game with at least five.
Isaac Haney scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game with 17 points.
LJ Thomas reached double-figure scoring for the first time since tallying 14 points against West Georgia, January 9th.
Freshman Tate McCubbin hauled in a career-high 11 rebounds, while also dishing out a career-best two assists.
APSU head coach Corey Gipson captured his 50th-career win and 28th at the helm of Governors basketball.
Austin Peay State University improved to 5-1 when scoring at least 80 points this season.
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
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team will hit the road for a single away contest this weekend. Austin Peay State University faces Eastern Kentucky – who it earned a 97-90 overtime win against in its last home game before tonight – in a Saturday 3:00pm game at Baptist Health Arena in Richmond, Kentucky
