MARTIN, Tenn. ? For the second straight game, Austin Peay State University women's basketball team put together an impressive first half, but unlike its outing three days previous it was able to turn that start into a 55-48 Ohio Valley Conference victory at Tennessee-Martin, Saturday afternoon.

Austin Peay (6-21, 3-15 OVC) broke out in the opening period with a 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) field-goal performance. That shooting effort translated into the Lady Govs leading by double digits throughout most of the period, including a game-high, 11-point advantage with 6:04 remaining in the period. Tennessee-Martin closed within six points, but would get not closer in the half and trailed 29-19 at halftime.

Tennessee-Martin (5-24, 2-17 OVC) opened the second half with a 10-3 run and slashed the lead to three points, 32-29, with 12:17 remaining. The second-half start was eerily similar to Austin Peay's problems, Wednesday, at Southeast Missouri where they had three field goals in the opening 10 minutes. This time the drought included a seven-plus minute field goal drought during which APSU was only 1-of-11 from the field.

That drought ended with senior Kellea Reeves field goal with 10:37 left that built the lead back to seven points, 36-29. Tennessee-Martin would close with five points on senior Crystal Fuller's free-throw at the 3:23 mark. However, Austin Peay scored seven of the game's next nine points ? pushing the lead back into double-digits, 52-42, with 1:50 left and they would not be threatened the game's remainder. The Lady Govs made only six field goals in the second half, but made 13-of-16 (81.3 percent) from the free-throw line to help seal the victory.

Austin Peay got impressive performances from a quartet of players. Senior Ashlee McGee finished just shy of a point-guard double-double, posting 15 points and dishing out nine assists. Freshman Ashley Herring added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Nicole Jamen grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, the first APSU player with 15 boards since Alicia Watson's 15-rebound effort against Jacksonville State, Jan. 25, 2007. Senior Kellea Reeves added 11 points.

Tennessee-Martin's offense was limited to the duo of junior Phyllisha Mitchell and senior Crystal Fuller who each had 13 points. UTM was just 17-of-55 (30.9 percent) from the field and only 4-of-20 (20.0 percent) from the three-point line.

- AP -