CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay men’s basketball team suffered defeat at the hands of the Queens Royals on Saturday night in the ASUN Tournament. The #2 seeded Govs lost the game to the #3 seeded Royals 90-83 and will now head home without a conference tournament title.
From the beginning of the game, it was clear that Queens wasn’t planning on making it easy for the Govs. The Royals matched the Govs’ fast pace and were red hot from behind the three-point line. Queens shot 50% from the field and from three, and the Govs struggled to keep up.
At the half, the Govs found themselves in a 47-40 hole. 28 of the Govs’ 40 first-half points came in the paint, as the team couldn’t get any perimeter shots to fall.
The story stayed the same for most of the second half. The Royals kept hitting shots, and the Govs never did.
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What stood out: turnovers, free throws, Marshall’s big night
For much of the season, the Govs had no problem creating turnovers. The team also typically did a fine job of protecting the ball, but neither thing was true on Saturday night.
The Govs lost the turnover battle to the Royals, only forcing five and giving up 10. Queens ended up scoring 15 points off turnovers while the Govs scored just three. In a seven-point final, it’s clear those turnovers made a huge difference.
Another thing that doomed the Govs was their free throw shooting on the night. The Govs missed 11 free throws as a team after being reliable from the charity stripe throughout the regular season.
One player who didn’t disappoint was big man Rashaud Marshall. Marshall ended the contest with 35 points and 13 rebounds, securing a double-double for the second day in a row. It was Marshall’s fourth double-double of the season and his second-highest point total.
What’s next for the Govs?
The Govs end the season with a 23-10 overall record and a 16-4 record in conference play. The Govs will not earn a bid in the NCAA Tournament, but they could theoretically be invited to another postseason tournament.
While it’s a disappointing end, the Govs still have much to be proud of after this season. The team still earned a share of the regular season conference title for the first time in almost two decades and only lost one home game all season.
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