NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University watched a 15-point second-half lead disappear as Tennessee State rallied for a 76-67 Ohio Valley Conference victory, Saturday night, In the Gentry Center.

The loss was the Govs second straight and drops them to 14-12 overall and 8-6 in the OVC. TSU, meanwhile, improves to 6-20 overall and 3-11 in the OVC.

Austin Peay opened the second half with a 14-5 run and built a 49-34 advantage at the 13:34 mark before TSU, led by Jeremiah  Crutcher, began a  three-point barrage that saw the Tigers get back within striking distance in a hurry. In a four-minute stretch the Tigers nailed four three pointers among its six field goals as the Tigers cut the deficit to 52-50 at the 9:25 mark.

APSU again pushed the lead back to seven, 57-50, the final three on a conventional three-point play by Wesley Channels. However, Channels suffered leg cramps on the play and was forced to leave the game. Neither Channels nor the Govs were the same after that. Channels scored just one more bucket, a three pointers with 25 seconds left, while TSU outscored the Govs 26-10 the rest of the way.

Austin Peay, which shot a reasonable 46.2 percent in the first half, hit only 10 of 31 (32.3 percent) in the second half while making just 2-of-13 three pointers (15.4 percent) during the half and only 6-of-24 (25 percent) for the game.

TSU made 7-of-13 three pointers in the second half and 16-of-18 free throws (84.2 percent), several down the stretch to hold off the Govs.

Channels led the Govs with 20 points while Anthony Campbell added 17. John Fraley scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing 18 rebounds.

Crutcher, who had just five first-half points, finished with a game-high 22 points, knocking down four three pointers in the final half. Robert Covington added 17 points and Jacquan Nobles 15.   

-AP-