CLARKSVILLE Tenn. – A familiar cast coupled with a new director will take center stage when Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team begins its 56th season of basketball with a 7 p.m., Friday contest against Pac-12 Conference member California.
The contest will be a “White Out” affair, with Austin Peay fans encouraged to wear white for the Lady Govs opener. In addition, the first 150 fans who also are members of “Peaynuts Connect,” Austin Peay’s official mobile fan app, will receive a free white T-shirt.
The biggest story line during the Austin Peay offseason was the hiring of David Midlick as the program’s 15th head coach. He is a familiar face to Austin Peay fans, returning to Clarksville after previous stints as a men’s basketball graduate assistant (2003-06) and women’s basketball assistant coach (2010-12). Midlick was involved in the recruiting for the current senior class, but did not have the opportunity to coach them, departing to become head coach at Delta State in 2012.
Midlick inherits an Austin Peay women’s basketball team largely unchanged from its 2014-15 edition. Four starters and 11 letterwinners return from a team that posted the program’s best record since 2010-11. Senior guard Tiasha Gray highlights the returning group after earning Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. Also returning are junior Tearra Banks, sophomore Brianne Alexander, senior Jennifer Nwokocha and junior Beth Rates – composing five of the team’s top six in both scoring and rebounding.
Austin Peay got a glimpse of the 2015-16 product with a Nov. 5 exhibition contest against Division II Kentucky Wesleyan. The Lady Govs led the contest wire-to-wire, holding a 28-point advantage in the third quarter before settling on a 21-point, 88-67 victory. Gray led the performance with a 26-point, nine-rebound effort. Freshman J’Nayah Hall impressed off the bench with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Redshirt freshman Falon Baker chipped in 15 points, scoring 11 in the first half.
Friday’s opener is the first game in a stretch that will see APSU play three games in four days. Following the season opener, Austin Peay will host Division II foes Christian Brothers (7 p.m., Saturday) and Trevecca (7 p.m., Monday).