Box Score CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - TyShwan Edmondson and John Fraley combined for 45 points and 21 rebounds as Austin Peay State University pulled away late from stubborn UT Martin, defeating the Skyhawks, 92-73, Saturday night in Ohio Valley Conference action.
The victory pushes the Governors to 6-4 in the OVC and 9-14 overall while UT Martin falls to 3-20 overall and 0-10 in the OVC. It was the Skyhawks' 11th straight loss.
UT Martin certainly didn't play like a team that was without an OVC victory. The Skyhawks led much of the early going and stayed close most of the first half. It took a 12-point flurry by Edmondson, the 6-3 senior guard, for the Govs to gain some momentum.
With Austin Peay leading 12-10, the senior guard proceeded to score the Governors' next four baskets, including back-to-back three pointers. He then topped off that three-minute spurt with a pair of free throws.
Despite his production, the Govs still led by only six points, 24-18, as the Skyahwks' Troy King came off the bench to keep UTM close. In fact, the Skyahwks would trim the lead to one, 24-23, and 38-37, before Josh Terry ended the half with a short jumper to allow APSU to take 40-37 lead into intermission. Edmondson ended the half with 12 of his 22 points, knocking down 4-of-5 shots.
In the second half, it was Fraley, the 6-8 center, taking charge for the Governors as he scored 13 of his game-high 23 points while grabbing nine rebounds. And the Govs needed it as UTM continued to reel in the Governors every time they would build anything close to a substantial lead.
Fraley's three-point play at 15:41 mark of the second half gave APSU a 54-44 advantage. After UTM cut the Govs margin to two, 65-63, with 9:28 left, Fraley slammed home a missed Terry shot to push the lead back to four.
Finally the Govs were able to pull away in the closing minutes. In fact, the Govs finished the contest on a 19-3 run against a depleted Skyhawks team that saw four players foul out. Fraley had six of those points plus a blocked shot.
Fraley finished the night with his season's fourth double-double, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds to go with his 23 points. His rebound work helped the Govs hold a 40-31 rebound advantage. That was on the heels of the Govs being manhandled by Southeast Missouri, 50-26, on the boards, Thursday night.
Fraley's 13 rebounds allowed him to move past Trenton Hassell into 10th place all-time in Govs' career rebounding with 690.
Edmondson, meanwhile, finished the night six-of-nine from the floor, including a trio of three pointers, while grabbing a season-high eight rebounds.
Terry added 16 points while Melvin Baker added 12. Jerome Clyburn missed by one point of giving the Govs five players in double figures.
Austin Peay, after shooting just 34.6 percent from the floor at SEMO, ended Saturday by going 30-of-55 from the floor (54.5 percent).
The Govs also made 28 of 39 free-throw attempts.
Guard Mike Liabo led UT Martin with 18 points while King added 15, including three first-half three pointers. Jeremy Washington added 10 points.
-AP-
