CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Wesley Channels and Anthony Campbell combined for 43 points to lead Austin Peay State University to an 80-76 victory against Eastern Kentucky, Thursday night, in Ohio Valley Conference action.

The victory improved the Govs' record to 12-10 overall and 6-4 in the OVC. The victory also allowed the Govs to move into a third-place tie in the OVC race with Eastern Kentucky, which fell to 6-4 in the OVC and 14-8 overall. It was only the second time all season the visiting Colonels lost consecutive games. It also is the first time since early December, when APSU strung together five straight wins, the Governors were able to win back-to-back games.

Channels, the senior guard, scored a season-high 24 points on 6-of-9 field-goal and 8-of-12 free-throw shooting. Channels made 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:42 as the Govs connected on 12-of-14 down the stretch to hold off the late-charging Colonels.

Campbell, who missed last Saturday's Jacksonville State game with a sprained ankle, added 19 points, also on 6-of-9 field-goal shooting, while going a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, sophomore center John Fraley controlled the boards, grabbing 14 for his third straight double-digit rebounding performance.  APSU out-rebounded the Colonels, 31-22.

Eastern Kentucky got off to a quick start in the game, leading 5-0 and 14-5 in the game as guard Justin Stommes scored five early points. But the Governors started clawing their way back as Channels hit a pair of three pointers to give Austin Peay a 15-14 lead with 10:51 left in half. The two teams then battled close over the next seven minutes before the Govs took the lead for good when Campbell hit a jumper to provide APSU a 29-27 advantage.

The Govs made it a six-point game at halftime when Channels picked up a kicked ball and nailed a three pointer at the first-half buzzer.

APSU immediately pushed the lead to 10 early in the second half but EKU came back and cut the deficit to four, 50-46, with 11:07 left on a Joshua Jones three pointer.

But the Govs went on a 13-4 run that all but put the game out reach as Campbell, APSU's sophomore forward, scored nine during the stretch on two fields goals (one three pointer) and four free throws.

The Colonels attempted to make a run at the Govs late, fouling on every inbound opportunity, but APSU, which struggled at the free-throw line against Jacksonville State in overtime last Saturday, kept the Colonels at bay.

Stommes led Eastern Kentucky with 20 points while point guard Joshua Jones added 16 and Josh Taylor 12.

The Governors shot an impressive 52.4 percent (22 of 42) from the floor, including 8-of-16 from the three-point line, along with 77.8 percent (28 of 36) at the free-throw line.

Eastern Kentucky almost was hot from the field, making 27 of 55 (49.1 percent). This time, though, the Colonels were only 10 of 28 (35.7 percent) after shooting 44.4 percent (12 of 27) from three-point territory in the contest earlier this month.

-AP-