CLARKSVILLE - Six players scored 10 or more points as Austin
Peay State University women's basketball team cruised to a 101-67 exhibition
victory against NAIA foe Martin Methodist, Monday night at the Dunn Center.
Austin Peay put five returnees on the court to start the
game and it paid off as they made five of their first six shots en route to an
11-2 lead in the opening 2:40. The Lady Govs broke the game open with a 13-0
run that lasted 4:04 around the half's midpoint, as five different APSU players
scored.
Martin Methodist cut into the Lady Govs lead, closing the
half with a 12-0 run over the final 5:10 to end the half trailing by 12 points,
46-34. Austin Peay put forth several different lineups in the opening frame and
head coach Carrie Daniels used all 14 available players in the period.
The Lady Govs starters returned to the court in the second
half and put any doubts to rest with an opening 18-2 run over 4:22. Austin Peay
showed a new-found sense of offensive pace, scoring eight points with the fast
break. The Lady Govs also took advantage of their height advantage, scoring 16
points in the paint.
Junior Nicole Olszewski led Austin Peay with 19 points and
eight assists over 25 minutes. She made 8-of-11 from the field and added three
rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Jennifer Nwokocha chipped in with an 18-point,
11-rebound effort on 22 minutes off the bench, converting 7-of-9 from the
field. Senior Meghan Bussabarger and sophomore Kristen Stainback each added 12
points, freshman Tiasha Gray finished with 11 points and senior Leslie Martinez
notched 10 points.
Austin Peay made 56 percent of its field goals (42-of-75)
and won the rebounding battle by a 47-40 margin. However, the Lady Govs were a
less than impressive 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from the free-throw line.
Martin Methodist's Jessy Christopher led all scorers with 25
points, converting 8-of-16 from the field including a 6-of-12 performance from
three-point range. Bobbi Dodson added 15 points while Kyra Knight chipped in a
game-best 13 rebounds.
The Redhawks offense was limted to 29.9 percent (20-of-67)
shooting, but made 32 percent (8-of-25) of its three-point field goals. MMC
also won the free-throw battle converting 19-of-22 (86.4 percent) from the
line.
Austin Peay begins preparation for its regular-season opener
- a noon, Friday contest at UAB.