CHARLESTON, IL. — (CLARKSVILLENOW) Make it two in a row for Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team after the Govs polished off Eastern Illinois in a 92-84 contest at Lantz Arena, Saturday.
The Austin Peay attack, which featured four players in double figures, was paced by a season-high 36 points from junior Josh Robinson, including 15 in the first half. Senior John Murry had one of his patented scoring barrages to aid Robinson’s efforts, with the Indianapolis native scoring 10 points over 3:42 (12:33-8:51), bookending the explosion with three-pointers. It marked the fourth time this season that Murry has needed less than five minutes to score 10 points.
The Governors led by as many as eight with 3:21 to go in the half before a late Panther run cut Austin Peay’s lead to a single point, 44-43, at halftime.
The game tightened up in the second half, with Demetrius McReynolds (32 points, 13 in the second half) striving to keep pace with Robinson. Tied at 70 at the 7:36 mark, the Govs reeled off a 9-0 run over the next 4:14, with Robinson and senior Kenny Jones combining for all nine game-turning points; the Panthers would not get within six points for the game’s remainder.
As good as Robinson was in the first half, he took it to another level in the second half, scoring 21 points on 6-for-7 from the floor (2-for-3 from beyond the arc) and 7-for-9 from the free-throw line; it was the first time a Gov scored 20 points in a half since Robinson and Murry each had 20 in the second half against Fort Wayne (Nov. 30). Jones had all 12 of his points in the second half.
Although Eastern Illinois nearly doubled Austin Peay’s offensive rebound total (17-9), the Governors turned their opportunities into 14 second-chance points (1.56 points per rebound), while the Panthers managed just 11 second-chance points (0.65 ppr).