NASHVILLE - Tailing by just six at halftime, Austin Peay State University women's basketball team surrendered the second half's first 21 points as No. 16 Vanderbilt posted a 95-51 victory, Friday afternoon, in the opening round of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Classic at Memorial Gymnasium.

Austin Peay (1-4) played well in the opening half and enjoyed a seven-point lead, 19-12, with 11:46 remaining. The Lady Govs were helped by junior Ashley Herring's hot start as she made her first four point field goals as part of APSU's first 19 points.

The Commodores responded with a 11-4 run to tie the game, 23-23, with 6:30 remaining and continued the run with an 8-2 spurt to take a six-point, 31-25, advantage four minutes later. Both teams would trade scores the half's remainder before settling at a 35-29 Commodores lead at the break.

Vanderbilt (5-0) came out of the halftime break on a mission and scored the period's first 21 points in just 4:32 to build a 56-29 lead. A Herring field goal stopped the streak but did not stem the tide as the deficit hit 38 points, 70-32, just four minutes later putting the game safely away.

Herring led all scorers with 21 points, making 6-of-13 from the field, 4-of-7 from three-point range and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. The rest of the Lady Govs were 12-of-42 (28.5 percent) from the field and 3-of-8 from the free-throw line.

Jordan Coleman - one of five Vanderbilt players in double-digits - led the Commodores with 17 points. Vanderbilt dominated the paint with a 52-14 edge and posted a 22-0 advantage in fast break scoring.

Austin Peay will play the loser of the North Carolina State-Northwestern State contest in a 2 p.m., Saturday, consolation contest.

- AP -