CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (ESPN Clarksville) Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team opened Ohio Valley Conference with a statement win, hitting the century mark as they defeated Eastern Kentucky, 100-65, Thursday, at the Dunn Center.
After a hot start by both teams, the Governors (6-6, 1-0 OVC) employed a full-court press most of the game, rattling their opponents while having one of their best shooting performances of the season.
The Colonels (2-10, 0-0 OVC) made their first six shots, including four three-pointers to lead by as much as seven in the first quarter. However, coach David Midlick began to press the Colonels, as the Govs embarked on a 15-2 run to close the quarter. Keisha Gregory had three threes and 15 overall points in the first quarter, as the Govs led by six at the end of the period. The Govs also received a boost off the bench, as senior Michaela Campbell was able to play for the first time since the third game of the season against Vanderbilt.
The Govs wasted no time in stretching their lead, as they went on a quick 7-0 run to start the second quarter, forcing an EKU timeout with the Govs up 12. The Colonels kept failing on breaking the press, with numerous violations for not inbounding the ball or getting the ball across the court in the required time frame, as evident by their 17 first-half turnovers.
The Govs smelled blood and Myah LeFlore finished off a three-point play to go up 17, before Kasey Kidwell found her fellow freshman Maggie Knowles for an easy layup from a perfect bounce pass in traffic. Off the back of a 28-point second quarter, the most in a second quarter of a game this season for APSU, the Govs led 57-33 at halftime.
If Keisha Gregory was the leader in the first half, then Gabby Gregory was the standout in the second as she scored all of her points in the second half, finishing with a team-high 20 in just 12 minutes. The Gregory’s were not the only ones shooting well, as Arielle Gonzalez-Varner had 10 points in the third quarter as the Govs led by as much as 32 in the third quarter after hitting seven of their first eight shots.
The game was seemingly over as both teams knew the result was certain and the scoring slowed down, but not enough to keep the Govs away from the century mark. With Gabby’s fifth three-pointer of the second half, the Govs reached 100 points for the first time in an OVC game since Jan. 7, 2002 against Eastern Illinois.
The Austin Peay defense also came to play after the opening few minutes, forcing a season-high 28 turnovers and holding the Colonels to 3-of-21 from the three-point line after their first four threes went in. Nieja Crawford also recorded her third career double-double and grabbed at least 10 rebounds for the third straight game.
The Govs will be back in action against Morehead State at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, in the Dunn Center.