MOREHEAD, Ky. - The
final nine and a half minutes of the first half proved to be the fatal moments
as Austin Peay State University women's basketball team dropped its
sixth-straight contest with a 79-56 Ohio Valley Conference loss at Morehead
State, Saturday night, at Johnson Arena.
Austin Peay (3-11, 2-1
OVC) kept the game close throughout the opening 11 minutes, grabbing the lead
twice and forcing one tie. After Austin Peay grabbed its last lead, 12-11, with
13:01 remaining, Morehead State used a 9-2 run to build what was then its
largest lead, 20-14, with 10:39 left. The Lady Govs battled back with the next
four points and closed within two points, 20-18, at the 9:33 mark after
freshman Meghan Bussabarger made one of her two free throws.
But from there, Austin
Peay's offense went stagnant making just 2 of its final 11 field goal attempts
in the half, including missing all three of its three-point attempts. Adding to
their woes, the Lady Govs committed seven turnovers, including a stretch of
three straight miscues.
Morehead State (10-5,
3-0) took full advantage of the lull, using a 20-5 half-ending run to take a
40-23 lead into halftime.
Austin Peay opened the
second half with a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 13 points with 16:44 remaining,
but would get no closer. Morehead State scored 10 of the next 13 points to
build a 20-point, 52-32, advantage three minutes later and did not look back.
Junior Ashley Herring
led Austin Peay with 13 points and added nine rebounds. Senior Nicole Jamen
chipped in an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double performance.
The Lady Govs defense
saw its struggles continue as Morehead State made 41.4 percent (29-of-70) of
its field goals, including 44.4 percent (12-of-27) of its three-point field
goal tries. Austin Peay also could not force any turnovers, Morehead State
committing just 10 miscues against APSU's 19 turnovers.
Junior Chynna Bozeman
led Morehead State with 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Austin Peay returns to
action with a 4:30 p.m. (CT), Monday contest at Eastern Kentucky.
- AP -
