MARTIN, Tenn. – (ESPN Clarksville) Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team put together a furious fourth quarter rally, but could not overcome a lackluster first period, falling to UT Martin, 75-64, Saturday, at the Elam Center.
The Governors (7-8, 2-2 OVC) were down by as much as 22 in the third and cut the deficit to four late, but fell just short of an improbable rally.
The Govs got off to the worst possible start, with Arielle Gonzalez-Varner picking up two fouls in just the first 90 seconds. Both teams applied full-court pressure to start the contest, but the Govs simply could not get shots to fall, starting 1-of-12. The Skyhawks (11-4, 3-1 OVC) embarked on a 14-0 run, finally broken by a Brandi Ferby jumper.
The damage had been done in the quarter, however, with the Skyhawks leading 26-6. It was the most points allowed for the Govs in the first quarter this season as well as the least points scored in the first quarter.
Maggie Knowles got the second period off to a good start, hitting the first three-pointer of the game for APSU. The Govs struggled getting to the line until midway through the first half, with their first free-throw attempt not coming until the 5:20 mark of the second quarter. After that, the Govs were much more aggressive, routinely getting to the line and keeping the game in reach.
After a technical foul on the UTM coach, Gabby Gregory hit two free throws that capped off a 7-0 run for the Govs as they kept climbing back into the game. Brandi Ferby hit a three-pointer of her own to cut the lead to 10 points, but UTM led by 13, 43-30, going into the break. A big difference in the second quarter was Gonzalez-Varner not picking up fouls and playing smart, even with two fouls.
The two teams traded buckets for the majority of the third quarter. Every time the Govs hit a shot, the Skyhawks answered, maintaining their lead. UTM eventually hit their next five shots after the media timeout to go up by as many as 22, but the Govs closed on a 6-0 run to pull within 16 and give themselves a fighting chance.
The Govs knew they had to make a run and with about seven minutes to go, they put together an unbelievable attempt. A Nieja Crawford three and two Keisha Gregory free throws cut the lead to 11 and had the Govs believing. The Govs forced the Skyhawks into eight turnovers over the next four minutes, leading a furious 13-3 run. Gonzalez-Varner was the primary reason for the run, as she had a game-high 22 points, 14 of which came in the second half.
Crawford and Keisha each contributed in the run as well, as APSU found themselves just down seven points. After a timeout, Knowles hit a layup and then the Govs stole the inbounds pass as Gonzalez-Varner cut the lead to four points with 90 seconds remaining. However, the Skyhawks hit a clutch shot after good individual defense and then stopped the Govs on the next possession. The Skyhawks then went 3-of-4 from the line over the waning seconds to close the game out.
The Govs continue their road trip next week by visiting SIU Edwardsville, next Thursday.