FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? A second-half lapse again cost Austin Peay State University women's basketball team as it dropped a 61-48 decision at Arkansas, Saturday night.

Austin Peay (0-2) cut the led to two points,42-40, with 10:06 remaining in the second half on back-to-back baskets by April Thomas and Alex Bivens ? the latter a three-point field goal. However, the Lady Govs would score only one field goal over the next eight minutes as host Arkansas put together a 17-2 run to break the game open. APSU would convert a pair of traditional three-point plays in the final two minutes to tighten the final score.

Arkansas (3-0) controlled the paint throughout the contest, out-scoring Austin Peay 42-14 in the lane. A large part of that advantage would be attributed to the Lady Govs post players getting into foul trouble early and often in both halves. In the opening period Austin Peay saw two of their four centers benched with two fouls a piece by the 12:30 mark of the half. In the second half three of the posts had their third foul by the 14:45 mark forcing head coach Carrie Daniels to use her bench extensively.

“I believe the main thing with this game was our post players getting into foul trouble,” said Daniels. “With them on the bench we had to play people out of their normal position and it got us out of our offensive flow. I have to give our team credit, though; they didn't give up despite everything they were battling out on the court.”

Austin Peay grabbed the game's early lead scoring the first basket and leading 5-1 at the first break. Arkansas would take the lead several times ? it changed hands nine times in the opening frame ? throughout half's middle section, with Austin Peay answering each time. Ultimately, the Lady Backs used an 11-5 run over the half's final 5:09 to take a 30-26 lead into the break.

The Lady Govs opened the second half by quickly tying the score, 30-30, on back-to-back baskets by Thomas and Kellea Reeves in the opening two minutes. Arkansas responded by scoring the next eight points over a five-minute span and led 38-30 with 13:35 remaining. Austin Peay rallied back with a 10-4 run that included the baskets by Thomas and Bivens which cut the lead to two points.

Bivens led Austin Peay with 13 points, making 3-of-11 from three-point range. Senior Amber Bacon added 12 points. Austin Peay made 33.3 percent (20-of-60) of its field goals, including 26.1 percent (6-of-23) of its three-point field goals.

Arkansas' Whitney Jones led all scorers with 18 points, making 7-of-12 field goal attempts. Brittney Vaughn added 15 points, Lauren Ervin chipped in 12 points and Lauren Ervin posted 10 points. The Lady ?Backs made 41.4 percent (24-of-58) of their field-goal attempts in the contest. Arkansas won the rebounding battle by a slight, 39-37 margin.

Austin Peay returns to action when they play in the Lady Eagle Classic hosted by Southern Miss, Nov. 23-24, in Hattiesburg, Miss.

 

- AP -