CLARKSVILLE, Tenn — (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) If the first two games of the 2017-18 Ohio Valley Conference schedule are any indication, the rest of the league is going to have a problem with Terry Taylor and Averyl Ugba. Austin Peay’s dynamic post duo again posted double-doubles, turning a close first-half game into a second-half rout in a 70-54 demolition of Eastern Illinois, Saturday.

The first half was closer than head coach Matt Figger may have liked, particularly given an early 8-0 Panther run that put the visitors ahead six minutes in. The opening 20 minutes turned into a slugfest, particularly on the Austin Peay side; the Govs found themselves beset by early foul trouble, which precipitated extended run for the Austin Peay reserves.

Those reserves, particularly Zach Glotta and Steve Harris, answered the call and then some. Harris hit all three of his first-half shots, while Glotta hopped off the pine to score 10 points in 16 minutes on the night, including eight in the first half. Harris’ three with seven seconds to go in the first half gave the Govs a lead they would not relinquish.

The Panthers would get within a bucket early in the second half, but an Ugba jumper with just under 15 minutes left touched off a 27-13 APSU run to end the contest, highlighted by seven of freshman Dayton Gumm’s 10 points and six points each from Ugba and Taylor swelled the lead as high as 20 points.
The Difference

A sizable advantage on the glass led to Austin Peay’s 10-point (19-9) advantage on second-chance points. The plus-17 differential (46-29) on the glass was the second-highest of the season for the Govs and largest against a Division I opponent since Feb. 26, 2015 against SIU Edwardsville.

APSU Head Coach Matt Figger talked about starting OVC play at 2-0. “I felt like we were really locked in defensively in the second half. One thing I told our games after the game: Winning a conference game, whether home or on the road, is hard. To win two conference games, by 20 and 16 (points), we’re putting the wheel on those guys. Guys don’t quit in conference games, so to win those first two games the way we have shows the grit of our team.”