CLARKSVILLE - A 29-turnover night doomed Austin Peay State University women's basketball team in a 84-73 loss to No. 24 Middle Tennessee, Saturday night, at the Dunn Center.

Middle Tennessee forward Alysha Clark, a preseason Associated Press honorable mention All-America selection, posted game highs in points (38) and rebounds (11). It was the most points scored by an Austin Peay opponent since Tennessee Tech's Janet Holt scored 40 in the 2002 OVC Championship game.

But Clark was the least of Austin Peay's troubles as it committed a season-high 29 turnovers. Middle Tennessee took advantage, scoring 34 points off the miscues. The first half was the most damaging for the Lady Govs as they committed 18 turnovers which led to 23 MTSU points.

Middle Tennessee held its largest margin of the first half as the horn sounded, 43-32. Austin Peay came out of the break and scored eight of the first 10 points - including a pair of three-point field goals by junior Brooke Faulkner - to slash the lead to five points, 45-40, with 17:50 left.

The Blue Raiders responded quickly with 10 of the next 12 points to build the lead back to 13 points, 55-42, just two minutes later.

Austin Peay (1-2) put together another 12-4 run later in the half to narrow the deficit to five points, 68-53, with 9:16 remaining. The Lady Govs made 8-of-9 free throws and senior Nicole Jamen added a pair of layups in the span.

However, the Lady Govs would get no closer and the Blue Raiders scored six straight points to take the lead back into double-digits, 78-67, with 3:35 left, and would not be threatened the game's remainder.

Jamen led the Lady Govs with 14 points and eight rebounds. She was one of five Lady Govs to score 10 or more points. Austin Peay made 20-of-42 (47.6 percent) from the field and 29-of-36 (80.6 percent) from the free-throw line.

Middle Tennessee, behind Clark's 18-of-22 field-goal performance, made 34-of-59 (57.6 percent) from the field. The Blue Raiders were 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) from the free-throw line.

Austin Peay returns to action when it hosts James Madison in a 7 p.m., Tuesday contest at the Dunn Center.