MURFREESBORO, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University women's basketball team committed 25 turnovers for a second consecutive game, but this time it did not go unpunished in a 62-53 non-conference loss to Middle Tennessee, Tuesday night, at the Murphy Center.

Austin Peay (4-6) committed 25 turnovers three nights previous and escaped with a double-digit win against SIU Edwardsville. However, this night Middle Tennessee turned APSU's 25 turnovers into 25 points. Those points proved to be the difference in a game which the Lady Govs had a good offensive night ? making 40.7 percent (22-of-54) of its field goals ? and dominated the boards ? posting a 36-29 rebounding edge.

Middle Tennessee (7-4) did its best to run away and hide early in both halves. In the opening frame, the Blue Raiders jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the opening three minutes, but could not extend their lead. Austin Peay ultimately got back within one point, 22-21, with 5:39 left on Salem Richardson's jumper but was unable to take the lead. Back-to-back three-point field goals pushed the MTSU lead back to eight points before APSU made the half's final two field goals to set the halftime deficit at four points, 29-25.

The Lady Govs came out in the second half and got back-to-back jumpers from Nicole Jamen and April Thomas to tie the game, 29-29, for the first time since the game's opening moments. An Ashley Herring jumper tied the game at 31-31 with 17:18 left, but Middle Tennessee responded with a 23-6 scoring run to break the game open. Austin Peay added to its woes during that scoring run with a five-minute field goal drought and ultimately was down 17 points, 54-37, by the time the run ended at the 7:44 mark.

Austin Peay was not finished as it slashed the lead to nine points, 56-47, with 3:17 left courtesy a pair of Brooke Faulkner jumpers and two Whitney Hanley free throws. However, that was as close as the Lady Govs would get as MTSU made its free throws down the stretch.
Faulkner led Austin Peay with 11 points off the bench, including the team's only two three-point field goals. Thomas added 10 points and eight rebounds while Herring chipped in 10 points

Alysha Clark led the Blue Raiders with 22 points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes. Brandi Brown added 14 points. MTSu made 41.8 percent (23-of-55) of its field goals in the contest and committed 16 turnovers.

Austin Peay continues its four-game road trip with a 2 p.m., Saturday contest at Southeastern Conference foe Alabama.