CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay men’s basketball team earned a first-round bye after securing the No. 2 seed in the ASUN Tournament. As a result, the Govs got some extra rest as the bottom eight teams in the conference had their first tournament games on Wednesday.

As the No. 2 seed, the Govs were set to play the winner of a matchup between the No. 7 seeded Eastern Kentucky Colonels and No. 10 seeded Stetson Hatters. The Hatters put on one of their best offensive performances of the season on Wednesday and easily beat the Colonels 92-76.

Now, the Govs and Hatters will face off for the third time this season on Friday at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

Austin Peay is 2-0 against Stetson this season

The first matchup between these conference rivals took place on January 10 in DeLand, Florida. It was the fourth conference game of the season for the Govs, and they entered that matchup on a five-game winning streak.

An elite offensive performance from Collin Parker ended up propelling the Govs to an 81-69 road victory in that first matchup. Parker ended with 27 points and six boards, and three other Govs ended up scoring in double figures as well.

The second meeting of the season came in late January during a winter storm in Clarksville. The storm forced the game to be played at noon on a Friday, but the quick turnaround didn’t affect the Govs, as Austin Peay went on to win 73-65. Once again, four Govs scored in double figures, and Rashaud Marshall led the way with 21 points.

Austin Peay State University's basketball team earned its sixth-straight win following an 81-69 victory over Stetson, Jan. 10, 2026, in DeLand, Florida. Photo by Alex Allard, APSU Athletics.
Austin Peay State University’s basketball team earned its sixth-straight win following an 81-69 victory over Stetson, Jan. 10, 2026, in DeLand, Florida. Photo by Alex Allard, APSU Athletics.

What to expect

This quarterfinal matchup will tip off from Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday at 4 p.m. The winner of this matchup will advance to a semifinal matchup against the winner of No. 3 seeded Queens and No. 6 seeded West Georgia.

This will be the seventh all-time meeting between the Hatters and Govs, with the record tied at three wins each. In the 2023-24 ASUN Tournament, the Govs lost to the Hatters in the championship game, leading to the Hatters earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Austin Peay enters this matchup on a two-game losing streak, but the hope is that this extended break allowed the team a chance to reset. Just three more wins, and the Govs can clinch their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016.

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