CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.? Kyle Duncan knocked down five straight first-half three pointers as Austin Peay State University ran off to an 18-point halftime lead as the Governors defeated host Southeast Missouri, 91-67, at the Show Me Center in the Ohio Valley Conference basketball opener for both teams.

The victory improved the Govs to an overall 4-2 record overall while the Redhawks slipped to 2-5. The win also was the 299th Austin Peay win for Governors head coach Dave Loos. He needs just one win to join former Murray State and UT Martin coach Cal Luther as the only coaches in league history to record 300 wins while coaching in the OVC.

And it was a game that saw the Governors grab the lead from the outset and never trail. Drake Reed scored the game's first bucket on a layup and the Redhawks never got closer than two points, the last time being 6-4. It was largely because of Govs' wing players Duncan and Wes Channels. The latter had 13 first-half points on 5-of-7 shooting, including two three pointers. However, it was Duncan who literally delivered a knockout blow.

The 6-5 Indianapolis native, who led the OVC in three-point field goal percentage a year ago at 55.6 percent while setting APSU's single-season record in the same category, hit his first three pointer to expand APSU's lead to 9-4. A short time later he hit back-to-back threes to make it an 18-7 contest.

Later in the half, two more Duncan threes sandwiched around a Caleb Brown layup made it a 43-23 game. The Govs would head to halftime up 45-27, as the Govs shot 7-of-12 from three-point range, including 5-for-5 by Duncan.

In the second half, the Govs quickly got up by 24, including another Duncan three pointer, before Southeast Missouri would slice APSU's lead all the way to 14 with a little under eight minutes left. However, the Govs would reestablish the momentum and coast to the victory.

Channels led the Govs' scoring with 20 points and five assists. Duncan finished with 18 points, all on three pointers. He did finally miss his final three-point attempt with 6:55 left. Drake Reed finished with 13 points, including 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Redshirt sophomore forward/center Duran Roberson tallied his first double-figure scoring game with 10 points. Sophomore point guard Caleb Brown dished out a career-best eight assists.

All Governors who dressed also scored. APSU finished 32 of 63 (50.8 percent) from the floor and outrebounded SEMO, 36-31.

Calvin Williams led SEMO with 21 points while Jaycen Herring added 17.

-AP-