CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As the 2023-24 basketball season continues to progress, Atlantic Sun conference play has begun to heat up. Here’s a look at where Austin Peay men’s and women’s basketball stand.
The men’s basketball team sits at 10-10 on the season with a conference record of 3-2, which has them tied for fourth place in the A-SUN.
During conference play, their offense has been efficient as ever with the team scoring 75 points or more in four out of their five contests.
The Govs, led by head coach Corey Gipson, play their best basketball when playing at F&M Bank Arena, where they have a home record of 7-1. On the flip side, however, Austin Peay has struggled on the road, where they have a 2-8 record.
With 11 games left in the regular season, APSU still has a chance to land the A-SUN Championship, especially when you consider they have a legitimate conference player of the year candidate. Austin Peay senior guard DeMarcus Sharp has been one of the premier players throughout the Atlantic Sun conference this season.
| Average | Conference Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Points/game | 18 | 2nd |
| Assists/game | 4.7 | 3rd |
| Rebounds/game | 7.2 | 6th |
| Steals/game | 2.3 | 1st |
| Minutes/game | 37.4 | 1st |
After transferring over from Northwestern State with Gipson, Sharp is ranked near the top of numerous A-SUN statistical categories including points, assists, steals and minutes per game. The 6-foot-3 senior also ranks near the top in rebounds per game, according to the A-SUN’s official website.
“Throughout this season, Sharp has been a strong leader for this Governor team,” said ESPN Clarksville analyst Jeff Matthews. “From being able to make quick shots, to facilitating ball movement, to taking possessions away from opponents, Sharp makes his presence known on all sides of the court.”
Next up, Austin Peay men’s basketball will have a three-game road trip in Florida where they will face Stetson, Florida Gulf Coast and Jacksonville.
APSU women’s basketball look to get back on track
The Austin Peay women’s basketball team is one game under .500 with a record of 9-10. After a hot start to A-SUN conference play, where they won their first two games, they have dropped their last three matchups.
With a conference record of 2-3, the Governors are ranked seventh in the A-SUN and will look to climb the conference standings with only 11 games left in the season. The team’s next test will be against Stetson University, which is one spot ahead of the Govs with a conference record of 3-2.
Austin Peay senior center Shamarre Hale has served as the Governors primary playmaker throughout the 2023-24 season. She is among conference leaders in statistical categories such as points per game (ranked 11th) and rebounds per game (ranked 3rd).
Another player that has stood out is Govs senior guard Sandra Lin. In just 14 games played, Lin is averaging 4.4 assists per game, which is ranked the third most in the Atlantic Sun conference. In addition, she’s ranked 6th in steals per game with an average of 1.8, according to A-SUN’s official website.
Following their matchup against Stetson on Wednesday, Austin Peay women’s basketball is set to face Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday and Kennesaw State on Thursday, Feb. 1.