CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Drake Reed and Wes Channels combined for 59 points as Austin Peay State University defeated Southeast Missouri, 88-78, Saturday night, in Ohio Valley Conference action played in Dave Aaron Arena.

The victory improved the Govs to 17-12 overall and 13-5 in the OVC. As a result, the Govs clinched the second seed in this week's OVC tournament. The Governors will play host to Eastern Illinois, 7 p.m., Tuesday in first-round play, with the victor advancing to the semifinals in Nashville, Friday.

Southeast Missouri, meanwhile, finished the season at 3-27, 0-18 in the OVC.  The Redhawks, who ended the campaign with a school-record 18-game losing streak, became only the seventh squad in the 61-year history of OVC men's basketball to go winless through the conference season.

The Governors scored the game's first nine points and were never headed, building as much as a 19-point first-half lead, the last time at 39-20, with 6:09 remaining in the period.  APSU took a 15-point lead into halftime as Reed had 22 points and Channels, who snapped a recent shooting slump, had 16.

In the second half, the Govs rebuilt the lead to 22 on two occasions, the last time at 74-52, on two Anthony Campbell free throws. However, the Redhawks made it interesting behind Jaycen Herring and Kenard Moore.  Moore scored the game's next nine points and then Herring hit a three pointer to make it a 76-64 contest before Channels ended the drought with consecutive buckets.

SEMO, however, continued to scramble and cut the lead to six, 80-74, with 2:57 left on another Moore jumper before the Governors connected on eight straight free throws over the final 1:32 to secure the 10-point victory.

On senior night, Reed finished with season's seventh double-double with 33 points and 12 rebounds, including nine offensive grabs. It was the seventh 30-point game by the 6-5 forward this season.  Channels, a junior guard, ended with 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting plus a team-high six assists.

Freshman center John Fraley, making his first career start, fell two points short of a double-double, ending with eight points and 10 rebounds.  

Austin Peay finished with 48.5 percent shooting, however, shooting only 40 percent (12 of 30) in the second half.
The Govs committed, however, a season-low five turnovers.

Herring connected for 31 points on 13 of 19 shooting for SEMO while Moore scored 19 of his 27 points in the final half.  SEMO finished the night 31 of 62 (50 percent) from the floor.

-AP-

-AP-