CHATTANOOGA - Austin Peay State University women's basketball team found itself in another early deficit and again could not dig its way out, falling 71-61 at Chattanooga, Tuesday night in non-conference action at the McKenzie Arena.

Chattanooga (1-3) made its first 10 shots - eight field goals and two free throws - en route to a 20-6 lead with 13:19 remaining. Meanwhile, Austin Peay could not maintain that pace and made just three of its 11 field goals during the same span.

Austin Peay (1-4) would recover from the cold start and pieced together a 15-2 scoring run to slash the lead to two points, 25-23, with 9:01 left. Sophomore Meghan Bussabarger sparked the run, scoring nine points after coming in off the bench at the 14:26 mark. She was aided by junior Whitney Hanley who made three-point field goals on consecutive possessions.

However, the Lady Govs could not find the tying basket and the Lady Mocs scored the game's next six points. Auistn Peay would cut the lead to five points, 38-33, at halftime.

Austin Peay would close back to within three points, 45-42, on another Hanley three-pointer. But that was the last of the Lady Govs threatening pushes as Chattanooga scored the game's next eight points to build an 11-point, 53-42, advantage and they would not be threatened again.

Hanley finished with 19 points and nine rebounds - both team bests. She snapped out of a 13-for-44 season-opening slump with an impressive 7-of-11 effort from the field, Tuesday, including 5-of-8 from three-point range.

Bussabarger added 11 points and freshman Nicole Olszewski chipped in nine points. That duo led an Austin Peay bench effort that scored 24 of the team's 61 points.

Whitney Hood led Chattanooga with 27 points on 12-of-21 field-goal shooting. Tenisha Townsend and Alex Black added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Austin Peay returns to action with a 7 p.m., Friday contest at future Ohio Valley Conference member SIU Edwardsville.

 -AP-