Two days after opening its season with a win, Austin Peay will get a stern test when it visits nationally-ranked Louisville, Monday, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky.
For Austin Peay it is a return to the site of their 2002 Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship, the second of their four straight tournament titles. Head coach Carrie Daniels brings her version of the Lady Govs into Louisville seeking the program's first road-opening victory since the 1994-95 campaign, a streak of 12 consecutive losses in road openers.
Louisville reached the “Sweet 16” in last season's NCAA Tournament, before falling to future APSU opponent North Carolina. The Cardinals return the bulk of that squad, including Preseason Associated Press All-American Angel McCoughtry.
ABOUT AUSTIN PEAY...
Austin Peay will be a young squad in 2008-09 with six freshmen and a sophomore transfer joining four returning sophomores, a junior and senior populating the 13-person roster.
Among the seven returnees are three starters, including sophomore Ashley Herring. She was the only APSU athlete to receive post-season recognition, picking up OVC All-Newcomer honors after averaging 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
The Lady Govs opened the campaign with a win against Lipscomb, Saturday. It was their seventh home-opening victory in the last nine seasons. Nine of the 11 Lady Govs who appeared scored in the contest as junior Nicole Jamen and sophomore Salem Richardson each posted career-highs in scoring, finishing with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
APSU has played at the Kentucky International Convention Center previously, as the 2002 OVC Women's Basketball Championship was held in the facility. The Lady Govs clinched the second of their four consecutive OVC tournament titles with a pair of wins, downing Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech.
Austin Peay has contests schedule against four “BCS” programs this season. Following Monday's affair they travel to Miami (Nov. 28), Alabama (Dec. 20) and North Carolina (Dec. 30).
A GLANCE AT LOUISVILLE...
Louisville does not lack for experience, with three seniors, a junior, three sophomores and six freshman manning its 13-woman roster. However, it is Preseason Associated Press All-American Angel McCoughtry who will be the focus, Monday, after leading the Big East in scoring and rebounding last season.
Louisville opened its campaign with a win at OVC-member Tennessee Tech, 82-49, Saturday. McCoughtry finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and three assists. The Cardinals won the stat sheet battle across the board. They won battles in rebounding (44-27), turnovers (26-33) and field-goal shooting (50.0-34.7).
Monday's game is the second of three Ohio valley Conference contests for Louisville. They host Morehead State, Dec. 28, at Freedom Hall.
