CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Senior April Thomas scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in her final home game to lead Austin Peay State University women's basketball team to an 80-74 overtime victory against Southeast Missouri, Saturday night, in Ohio Valley Conference action at the Dunn Center.

Thomas played a crucial part in the victory. Her layup with four seconds remaining tied the game for the first time since the opening tip and forced the extra frame. In overtime, she made the first field goal, giving Austin Peay its first lead of the contest and finished with four points and four rebounds. She had eight points and six rebounds in the first half and finished regulation with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Austin Peay (14-15, 10-9 OVC) needed a furious late-game rally to force overtime. Southeast Missouri completed a 10-2 run with a 10-point, 60-50, lead with 7:06 remaining in the second half. However, the Lady Govs rallied back with the next seven points ? including four points by sophomore Darcie Warner ? to slash the lead to three points, 60-57, with 5:31 left.

Southeast Missouri (15-14, 10-9) stemmed the rally momentarily and led by five points, 64-59, with 3:07 left. However, the Redhawks made just two of its four free throws in the final three minutes and did not record a field goal. Meanwhile, the Lady Govs saw junior Nicole Jamen convert a tradition three-point play, cutting the lead to one point with 12 seconds left.

The Redhawks Bianca Beck made one of her two free throws, pushing the lead back to two points. After the miss, sophomore Ashley Herring took the ball at midcourt and drove to the basket, but found a wide open Thomas on the other side of the lane for the game-tying basket.

In overtime, the Lady Govs made all four of their field goal attempts and six of their eight shots at the free throw line to secure the victory. Southeast Missouri was 3-of-7 (42.9 percent) from the field and made only two of its five free throws.

Austin Peay had to overcome a 12-point first half deficit to record the victory ? its largest deficit overcome in a victory this season. The Lady Govs did not score in the opening two minutes and trailed by 12 points, 21-9, with 11:14 remaining. Yet APSU scored 15 of the next 19 points to cut the lead to one point, 25-24, with 3:16 left. Southeast Missouri scored the half's final four points to take a 34-28 advantage into halftime.

Jamen helped her post-mate with a 19-point performance which included an 8-of-10 field-goal shooting effort. Freshman Whitney Hanley made all three of Austin Peay's three-point field goals and finished with 12 points.

Senior Sonya Daugherty led Southeast Missouri with 20 points, converting 9-of-14 from the field. Senior Tarina Nixon chipped in 11 points and senior Rachel Blunt chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.

Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri finish the regular-season tied for fifth-place in the league standings. However, the Lady Govs swept the regular-season series and earned the fifth seed in the upcoming OVC Women's Basketball Tournament. They will face No. 4 seed Morehead State in a 4:30 p.m. (CST), Tuesday contest, in Morehead, Ky. That game can be heard live on radio and on Austin Peay's official athletics web site (http://www.letsgopeay.com).