CLARKSVILLE - A nearly eight-minute second half drought again proved too much to overcome as Austin Peay State University women's basketball team dropped a 63-58 non-conference decision to Lipscomb, Wednesday night at the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay (2-8) scored the second half's first six points and led 27-24 with 18:48 remaining. But the Lady Govs would score just one field goal - a layup by junior Jasmine Rayner at the 13:25 mark - over the next eight minutes as Lipscomb pieced together a 23-2 run to build an 18-point, 47-29 lead with 10:58 left.

The Lady Govs would mount another comeback effort, slashing that deficit to three points, 59-56, with 58 seconds left as four different players contributed field goals to an 11-4 run that lasted 4:23. However, Austin Peay could not bridge that final gap before the final horn sounded.

Lipscomb (4-4) controlled most of the first half, trailing for just five minutes. The Lady Bisons closed the half with an 11-5 run over the final 4:26 to take a 24-21 lead into halftime.

Junior Whitney Hanley led the Lady Govs with 18 points and nine rebounds. Rayner added a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double effort. Sophomore Meghan Bussabarger chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds.

Austin Peay posted an impressive 53-32 rebounding advantage, including 23 offensive rebounds. However, the Lady Govs could only muster 10 second-chance points off those opportunities.

Leah McAlister led Lipscomb with 13 points. The Lady Bisons shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, including 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from three-point range.

Austin Peay returns to action with a 5:15 p.m., Saturday contest against Bowling Green.

-AP-