Clarksville News, Sports, Events and Information
Clarksville, TN – Five scored in double figures, as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men's basketball team never trailed in a 95-75 season-opening victory against Union, Monday, on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.
Isaac Haney led Austin Peay (1-0) with 19 points in the opener, while Tekao Carpenter went 5-for-5 from three-point range to finish with 15 points in his first regular-season action as Governor. Carpenter was one of nine student-athletes to make their APSU debut in the win and was joined by LJ Thomas' 12-point, seven-rebound, six-assist outing.
The Governors' 95-point night – the seventh time have reached the mark under head coach Corey Gipson – was highlighted by a 24-of-26 performance from the charity, in which no Governor missed multiple attempts from the line. Led by Carpenter's five threes, the Govs' also sank 11 three-pointers at a 47.8% clip in the win over Union.
The Governors and the Bulldogs played to three ties, Monday with all occurring before the under-16 media timeout.
After missing its first three attempts from long-range, Carpenter, Quan Lax , and Anton Brookshire connected from the perimeter following the early media break, extending APSU's lead to 15-8 6:47 into the contest.
Midway through the opening half, an Enmanuel Hansel jumper sparked a five-minute stretch in which the Govs went 6-for-8 from the field to lead 25-14 prior with less than four minutes to play.
Following six-straight Bulldogs' points, Darius Dawson scored six-straight APSU points –with a perfect, 2-for-2 trip to the line followed by a pair of jumpers – before Thomas ended the first-half scoring with a perfect trip to the line.
Carpenter (12 points), Dawson (10), and Thomas (10) led all scorers at the half, as the Govs shot 51.6% and 53.8% from the field and three-point range, respectively, to lead 51-37 through 20 minutes of play.
The Govs and Bulldogs traded scores to open the second half, with an 8-0 UU run being answered by seven-straight points by Haney. Haney went 5-for-5 from the line during that run to extend APSU's advantage to 63-49 six minutes into the half.
Leading 82-62 following Carpenter's final triple of the night, Sai Witt knocked down his first three of his APSU career from the left win, extending the Govs lead to a then, game-high 23 points.
A pair of freshmen making their collegiate debuts were two of the final three Govs to score, with Tate McCubbin recording his first-career steal and taking it coast-to-cast for a layup prior to Terrell Gaines' 2-for-2 trip from the line for his career's first points.
Inside the Box Score
Austin Peay State University improved to 45-12 all-time against Union in its first regular-season meeting with the Bulldogs since 1974.
30pm CT game in Indianapolis, Indiana.
