CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay women’s basketball team entered last week desperately needing some wins after dropping its previous four contests.
Not only was the team on a four-game losing streak, but they had yet to win a conference game at home. The Govs lost two games on the road during their four-game stretch after previously being 10-0 in road games before that.
There was some real optimism, though, that the Govs could get some momentum last week. The team was coming back home to play against the Queens Royals, who are near the bottom of the conference standings. If the home losing streak was going to end, it seemed like the Queens game was the best chance.
Then, on Valentine’s Day, the team played against the West Georgia Wolves at home. So, how did these games go? Let’s dive into the recap.
Austin Peay vs. Queens: 85-47 victory
The Govs entered Thursday’s contest against Queens with a 13-9 overall record and a 5-7 conference record. The Royals, meanwhile, entered with an 8-15 overall record and a 2-10 mark in conference play.
It’s safe to say this was a must-win game for the Govs. This was the perfect opportunity for the Govs to finally get a conference win at home, and thankfully, they came through.
This one was never really in doubt. The Govs came out hot, shooting 9-14 from the floor in the first quarter and 3-5 from three. The defensive effort was also strong, as Queens could hardly get any quality shots.
The second quarter was even more dominant for the Govs. They led 22-11 entering the quarter and then added 24 more, while the Royals added just three points in the entire quarter. The Govs went to the half with a 46-14 lead.
This massive lead was too much for the Royals to overcome, although they did heat up slightly in the second. The Govs ended up winning 85-47, getting their first conference home win in dominating fashion.
For Austin Peay, five players scored in double figures in what ended up being one of the best offensive outputs of the season.
Austin Peay vs. West Georgia: 95-74 loss
Next, the Govs welcomed in the West Georgia Wolves, who entered Saturday with a 15-8 overall record and an 8-4 conference mark. With a win, the Govs would have gotten back to .500 in conference play and would have been firmly in the mix in the ASUN.
Unfortunately, the Wolves decided to have one of their best offensive performances of the season. The Govs matched up well with the Wolves at first and entered the second quarter only trailing by four.
However, APSU cooled down while the Wolves never did. West Georgia shot an insane 17-26 from the field and 7-11 from deep in the first half. As a result, the Wolves enjoyed a 49-35 lead at the half.
The Wolves continued not to miss in the second half, and ultimately, the Govs just weren’t able to keep up. West Georgia ended the day shooting 66% from the field and 60% from three, and escaped Clarksville with a convincing 95-74 victory.
One on the road, one at home
After that up-and-down week, the Govs are sitting at 14-10 overall and 6-8 in conference play. If the season ended today, the Govs would be the No. 8 seed in the ASUN Tournament.
This week, the Govs have one on the road and one at home. On Wednesday, the team is traveling to Conway, Arkansas, to take on the Central Arkansas Bears for the first time this season. The Bears are currently 16-10 overall and 9-5 in ASUN play.
The Govs started the season 10-0 on the road but have since lost two in a row. Clarksville’s hometown team will look to get back on the winning track on the road before coming home to face the Bellarmine Knights on Saturday.
The Govs and Knights have already played once this season. In that matchup, the Govs went up to Louisville, Kentucky, and escaped with a dominant 67-39 victory.
| SPORTS REPORT: Sign up for the new weekly Clarksville sports newsletter