Clarksville, TN – Collin Parker extended his 20-point scoring streak with 27 points and freshman Zyree Collins scored a career-high 26, as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) basketball team had its most efficient night from the floor with a 63.2 field-goal percentage in a 91-62 Atlantic Sun Conference win against North Alabama, Saturday, on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Parker’s 27 points marked his fourth-straight game reaching at least 20 in the scoring column – the longest stretch of such since the 2023-24 season – as the Montgomery, City, Missouri native went 11-for-17 from the floor and 3-for-6 from distance to lead the Govs in scoring for the 11th time this season. Collins’ 26 points also surpassed a pair of 25-point nights, with him making a career-best four three-pointers and shooting 11-for-15 overall in the 29-point victory.
The Governors’ 63.2 field-goal percentage is its best since shooting 63.3% from the floor against Northern Colorado during the 2011-12 season, and its 59.1 three-point percentage marks its second-straight game hitting at least 59% of its threes.
In a fast-paced start to Saturday’s contest, North Alabama (7-15, 2-9 ASUN) made six of its first 10 attempts from the floor and led 14-12 with 12:55 to play in the first half following a 7-2 run; however, Austin Peay (17-6, 11-1 ASUN) responded with three-straight three-pointers from Tate McCubbin, Parker, and Collins, and a Marshall layup to completely stall all UNA momentum.
A Lions’ layup ended a three-minute scoring drought, but the Govs again responded, this time, with a 13-2 run to double UNA’s score at 36-18 with under six minutes remaining in the period.
The Govs ended the first half going 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-6 from three to lead 47-26 at the break. Austin Peay shot 60.6% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and held the Lions to just 11 makes on their 33 first-half attempts.
Five and a half minutes into the second half, North Alabama cut its deficit to 18, but it was the closest the game would get, as it quickly became a 30-point game following a 15-6 APSU run midway through the quarter following back-to-back Collins layups in transition.Leading 79-49 with eight minutes to play, the Governors made six of their final seven attempts from the floor and came away with the 29-point win – its 11th overall of the ASUN campaign and 11th-straight at F&M Bank Arena.
The Difference
Parker’s 27? Collins’ 26? The team’s field-goal percentage? Any of these are more than worthy options, but let’s go with the sixth man. For the second-straight game, Austin Peay State University set the attendance record at F&M Bank Arena with 4,136 fans in the building.
Box Score Bullets
Austin Peay State University improved to 17-6 on the season and 11-1 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. The Governors still sit 1.5 games above Central Arkansas (9-2) in the ASUN standings.
APSU extended its winning streak to six, the second longest in the ASUN and trailing only UCA’s seven-game streak.
The Governors now have won 13 of their last 14 games, dating back to a 76-75 win against ETSU, Dec. 12.
APSU improved to 11-0 at F&M Bank Arena this season and now is the only undefeated team at home in the ASUN.
Head coach Corey Gipson earned his 50th win at APSU, and now is the fifth-fastest coach to reach the mark, accomplishing such in 91 games.
Austin Peay State University shot 63.2% from the floor (36-57), the most efficient mark from the field since shooting 63.3% (31-49) at Northern Colorado, November 22nd, 2011.
After shooting 60.0% from three against Lipscomb, Wednesday, the APSU Govs shot 59.1% (13-22) against the Lions, marking the teams first time shooting at least 50% from distance in back-to-back games since last season (50.0% vs. FGCU, 2/13/25; 50.0% vs. Stetson, 2/15/25).
With his 27 points, Collin Parker became the first Governor since Demarcus Sharp (1/6-20/24) to score 20+ points in four-straight games. Parker is averaging 28.0 points per game during that span.
Zyree Collins’ 26 points are a career-high for the freshman, surpassing his 25-point performances at Florida Gulf Coast (Jan. 8) and against East Tennessee State (ETSU( (December 12th).
Anton Brookshire earned his second-straight start and tallied seven assists, his second-most this season and his most since having 10 against Fisk (December 28th) in the nonconference finale.
The starting lineup of Zyree Collins, Anton Brookshire, Tate McCubbin, Collin Parker, and Rashaud Marshall improved to 4-4 this season, including 2-0 in ASUN play.
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Next Up For APSU Men’s Basketball
The Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team hits the road for a 6:00pm CT, Wednesday contest against Queens at Curry Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the standings are currently, it is a battle between the No. 1 and No. 3 team in ASUN.
