CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay women’s basketball team ended January on a sour note, and the hope was that things would get back on track in February.
The team’s struggles at home have been well documented. After losing both games in a two-game homestand to end January, the team’s record fell to 3-7 at F&M Bank Arena. However, the team has been great on the road, and the first week of February featured two road games.
Entering last week, the Govs were sitting at 13-7 and 5-5 in conference play. With a 10-0 record on the road, though, the hope was that a couple more wins were in store, with one at North Alabama and one at Eastern Kentucky.
So how did the women’s team do last week? Let’s dive into the recap.
Lady Govs at North Alabama: 55-50, L
The Govs went down to Florence looking to snap their two-game losing streak on Wednesday. The Govs beat the Lions twice in the 2024-25 season, and this was the first meeting of this season.
The Govs got off to a hot start in the first half of this one. At the half, the Govs held a 31-25 lead over the Lions after shooting 3-of-8 on three-pointers and shooting 80% from the free throw line. The Govs went on a 12-0 run near the end of the first half, and it seems like the team just ran out of gas in the second half.
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Coming out of the break, the Govs managed just nine points in the third quarter and entered the final period with just a two-point lead. The first half of the fourth quarter was back-and-forth, but the Lions ultimately ended up pulling away. A 17-point quarter was enough to propel the Lions to a 55-50 victory.
This was the first road loss of the season for the Govs, and it came at the worst possible time. This loss moved the Govs’ losing streak to three games ahead of a matchup with the conference’s best team.
Lady Govs at Eastern Kentucky: 67-60, L
Everyone knew coming into this game that it would be a tough matchup for the Govs. The Colonels entered the game with a perfect conference record, and most of their conference wins were decided by a considerable margin.
The Govs came out strong, though, and held a 14-13 lead after one. The Colonels then quickly took the lead in the second and led by as many as six in the quarter. Heading into the break, the Govs trailed 32-27.
As has been the case a number of times this season, the Govs struggled coming out of the half. The team was outscored 15-10 in the third, which put the team in a 47-37 hole entering the final period. The Colonels ended up leading by as many as 13, but an 8-2 run by the Govs brought it to within six with less than a minute to play.
Ultimately, the Colonels escaped with a 67-60 victory, maintaining their perfect record. Anovia Sheals had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Govs in a losing effort.
Looking ahead to 2 home games
After two more losses, the Govs are now sitting at 13-9 overall and 5-7 in ASUN play. The team’s previously perfect road record now has two blemishes, and the Govs quickly need to get back in the win column.
This week, the Govs return home hoping to get their first conference win at F&M Bank Arena this season. The good news is that on Thursday, the team welcomes Queens, who are sitting at 2-10 in conference play. Queens defeated Bellarmine twice, and they are just 3-7 in road games.
Then, on Saturday, the Govs welcome West Georgia. West Georgia is sitting at 15-8 overall and 8-4 in conference play. This will be a tougher test for the Govs, and ideally, the team would go 2-0 on this homestand.
If the Govs win both of this week’s games, they can feel good about ending the home losing streak and staying alive in the ASUN race. With two wins, the team would be 7-7 in conference play with two home games and two road games remaining in the regular season.
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