Austin Peay men’s basketball has compiled a 2-1 record over their last three games played with a test against Stetson University set for Saturday, Feb. 15. The Governors contest against the Hatters will conclude the team’s four-game home stand, so look for Clarksville’s hometown team to finish the week out strong.
As for next week, Austin Peay is back on the road to face Bellarmine University on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and Queens University on Thursday, Feb. 20. Bellarmine is still looking for their first ASUN victory of the season, while Queens has already secured a top six spot in the ASUN Tournament.
The Governors will then make their way back to Clarksville to take on the number one team in the ASUN, Lipscomb University, on Monday, Feb. 24.
Scouting Lipscomb
Lipscomb, North Alabama, and Jacksonville are all currently tied for first place with a conference record of 10-3.
The Bison have had success on both sides of the ball, ranking second in offense averaging 79.6 points per game, and ranking first in defense holding opponents to an average of 67.2 points per game.
Leading Lipscomb is senior forward Jacob Ognacevic, who did not play last season due to an injury, but he’s currently leading the ASUN in scoring with 19.7 points per game. He’s also ranked third in rebounds per game with an average of 8.2.
Meanwhile, senior guard Will Pruitt out of Mount Juliet, TN, is also making an impact for the Bison. Pruitt is averaging 12 points per game while shooting 47% from the field. This includes shooting 31% from the 3-point line.
A Glimpse at the Governors
On the Governors side, Austin Peay is tied for seventh place with North Florida with a conference record of 6-7. The team will have a chance to get their conference record back to .500 with matchups against Stetson, Bellarmine and Queens before meeting up with Lipscomb for the second time this season.
The Bison secured the victory in the first matchup by a score of 88-60. However, Lipscomb now enters the Governors home court, where head coach Corey Gipson and the Govs have compiled a record of 7-4 at home this season.
Offensively, Austin Peay averages 70 points per game, and they are led by L.J. Thomas who averages 13 points per game, while also averaging 5 rebounds per game. The Governors also have two players on their team who have been shooting lights out from behind the arc. APSU guard Isaac Haney and freshmen forward Tate McCubbin will look to continue to make an impact as they both are shooting over 39% from the 3-point line this season.
The Bottom Line
With so much to play for in the upcoming games, the Governors will look to build on their momentum then have a complete game when they end up hosting Lipscomb on Feb. 24. For the Govs to get the win over the Bison, look for the team to force mistakes by their opponent while taking advantage of every offensive opportunity.
Tickets for Austin Peay vs. Lipscomb University can be found online at letsgopeay.com or Ticketmaster. This matchup will also be televised on ESPNU.